Chevy & GMC Vans

all this and Lynne's cookin'too, for a suitcase of Pabst's ....life is good!!!

Don't get no better than that.
You go the right guy for the job.

Here are the carrier adjusters...





Final gear pattern...





Here is the crush sleeve...



Crush sleeve and seal in and preload set...



Here is the front diff ready to go...just needs oil.

You've got more ballz than I'll ever have. I see a diffy and dump in my Depends.

I see a diffy and dump in my Depends.

Four things make me do that Petey,,,,a tranny, a carb, dif and my x-wife.

I'm feeling all nostalgic. Almost makes me wanna go do something productive. Almost.

Well done, young man.

Thanks Guys. Jim and Buddy arrived this afternoon and we'll be starting first thing in the morning. Look for pics around lunch time tomorrow.

Ah, the sweet smell of Peanut Butter cookies and 4:10s! Sniff, sniff, sniff, mmmmmm.

We started around 8 this morning and did the front diff first. I only show the pics for removal...installation is the reverse. We are heading out now to do the rear axle.

Jim really isn't that fat...it is only 38 - 40 degrees out and we are wearing insulated bibs.



Removed the upper ball joint, lower shock mount bolt, pulled the CV half shaft etc...





Front diff out...

You or your neighbor take that big o'le spruce tree down?? lol.

I can count at least 6 people ( including me ) from this site who have gone to your place to have work done on their van, for that you get the ASV life-time brotherhood award

astrozam wrote:You or your neighbor take that big o'le spruce tree down?? lol.

I can count at least 6 people ( including me ) from this site who have gone to your place to have work done on their van, for that you get the ASV life-time brotherhood award

nah that big o'le spruce is still there....................the sawdust and logs you can see are a pile of logs we got for cutting and splitting for burning next winter. It was wayyyyyyyyyyy more than that spruce tree. LOL

Thanks zam.

For the rear axle you gotta pull the cover, remove the wheels and tires and pull the drums...



Once that stuff is out of the way, you have to pull the C-clips and slide the axle shafts back about 6". You then pry the carrier out, making sure to keep the shims and races on the proper side. Also mark the bearing caps so they go back in the correct position. After that, pull the pinion out and replace the races with the new ones.





Now we swap on the new ring gear on the carrier with the new bearings, new pinion with the original shim and start putting it back together. Do not use the new seal or crush sleeve on the pinion until adjustments are made.





Then you check the pattern to see it is pretty good. We ended up using the original pinion shim and the carrier was moved 0.007" to the left. We ended up with 0.008" of backlash. Took her for a quick test drive and all seems good. Today we'll do a final gear oil level check and another test drive of about 15 miles and then let the diff's cool.

I go through all this, and while seeing the pictures, and sort of understanding what is going on, at the same time I am completely lost. I would love to change the gearing in the Safari, but it is not something I would ever try on my own.

Just got home an hour or so ago......
........WOW ,what a difference!!!!
Anyone that is on the fence about gears .....do it!
Ya,it's some work.., but it is definitely worth it......oh, ya! .....AND (big and) having someone like Dean willing and able to help,makes it all possible.
Lynne,you make it possible too !!!! Thanks and kudos to you

Both of their involvement with this forum and it's members is priceless!!

but,.....man am I glad I don't burn wood anymore

Look forward to getting mine done on the '94! I put the '95 on the road this week,and its been great having the off the line power again! Since I put on the 31" tires on the '94 its been a real dog off the line and any big hills! Got all my remaining parts for the swap enroute via Fedex as we speak!