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So here I was, a day off with 2 Blazers, a 267 Caterpillar Skid steer, and some tree stumps..
Oh yea, and all the parts necessary to swap the 12 bolt rear and Dana 44 front with 3.73 gears and lockers from my 1976 K5 into My 1986 M1009.
I know I started a thread about building the 10 bolt axles in the M1009.
Well, forget all that.
Decided I was being a dummy to pass up the most simple swap I could make and since I already put Yukon axles shafts, a No-slip locker and Spartan into the 12 bolt and Dana 44, why not just put them under my M1009 and do away with both the 3.08 and the gov-loc rear in one fell swoop.
So that is exactly what I did.
This might be the last good weather week of the year around here and Sunday morning at first light ; Rifle Hunting season begins up here and we are going to be busy with guests for 2 weeks.
So I used the skid steer to lift the back end of both Blazers, put some OSHA approved tree stumps under the frame rails, and tore the axles out of them.
I got the rears swapped today.
Only hiccups were the wheel cylinders on the 10 bolt were shot and since I still need that truck to haul the lodge garbage all winter, I got some replacements in town.
The only other differences between a 1986 GM 10 bolt out of a M1009 and a 1976 GM 12 Bolt out of a K5 Blazer;
The M1009's 10 bolt rear axle pinion yoke accepts an inside clip 3R u-joint.
The 1976 K5 12 bolt rear axle pinion yoke accepts an outside clip 1310 series u-joint.
I kept the 3R pinion yoke on the 10 bolt and am using a 3R to 1310 conversion u-joint for my rust bucket 76 K5.
I installed a 1330 pinion yoke onto the 12 Bolt going into my M1009.
If you ever need to change a pinion yoke on an axle with a crush sleeve; fear not.
Don't believe all the junk about needing to remove the carrier, reset the pinion with a new crush sleeve etc.. that is not true.
I worked at a driveline shop and we routinely replace damaged pinion yokes and never once had a problem provided the pinion bearings were still in good shape.
Here is what you do;
Using and impact (in the case of a 12 bolt 1-1/8" socket) and a socket, zip the pinion nut off the pinion.
Remove the pinion yoke.
Remove the old pinion seal and replace it with a new one.
Install the new yoke (or the old one if you are just doing the pinion seal).
Now carefully drive the pinion nut back onto the pinion in small stages.
You just need to keep checking by pushing the pinion yoke in and out on the splines until it reaches zero clearance.
Now you do not want to crush the old crush sleeve any further.
So once you reach zero clearance you give the impact one blip.
Done.
Remember, pinion preload was set using brand new pinion bearings.
Once they are worn, there is almost no preload left.
You simply need to return the yoke to where it was when you removed it.
Tomorrow I will finish swapping the front axles.
Already know the banjo fitting on the calipers is different between the 76 and the M1009.
I will just leave the brake calipers hanging by a wire, out of the way while I swap the 10 bolt for the Dana 44.
3.73's should be a vast improvement coming up that 10% grade from town in the M1009 with the 6.2.
3.08's should help my rusty 76 K5 with it's 400 cu. in. small block slurp the gas a little slower.
See, I listen to advice on this forum.
