A year ago i had a front axle seal start leaking pretty good,so i tore it down, replaced both axle seals, installed the carrier back in, put in new lock out hubs (mile marker i think they was) and it has worked great, till two weeks ago, i ended up driving it into town cause the misus needed a run to the store and her truck wasnt warmed up (was very cold that day around+10f ) and everything was going great was running 45 mph nothing real fast, after driving it 13 miles i began to slow down for the light to make a turn and something just didnt sound right,it was like grabbing!! and i get out to unlock hubs (winter driving how i have done it for 10 years) T/C was in 2 high like i normally run it in the winter..
I did notice i could smell rear end fluid and it smelled burnt....( i put in new fluid.back when i worked on it).....i have been told one of the lock out hubs may have went bad.......been way to cold to tear it down and not alot of money right now.......
any worst case this could be?
i'm thinking carrier bearing, havent tried to put it into 4 wheel drive again, and from what i have read once the fluid breaks down it will wear out the ring gear and pinion..........
any ideas with what i have described here??
I do have another front axle with 273 gears but my truck is 308s.........and would like to keep it that way.......the other rear needs inner axle u-joints and more then likely axle seals and dont wanna deal with that again....
feel free to email me here at stressfactor03@frontier.com, i check that mail once a day normally in the morning..........

thank you so much!! for any help..........( this is in my 1986 K5 blazer)

Mike

 

the wheel joints (the u joints in the front axle shaft) go bad and will cause a locking up grabbing sensation when turning. easy way to check is jack one side up at a time with the truck in 2wd, turn the wheel all the way one way then spin the tire with hub locked, they should spin freely, if it grabs every 90 or 180 degrees or stops then the ujoints are bad.

 

Thanks but not sure that would toast the gear oil would it.........and was still driving forward before the turn.............weather has warmed up enough I think I am gona atleast pull the diff cover and see whats going on....... that is if I can see anything..thanks

 

got the cover off this morning, what I feared most! carrier will not turn! not even with a big screw driver...............in a area I don't know to well!! but gona have to fiqure it out.........funds are really tight................any ideas? I know I am gona have to get it set up again...once I replace both carrier bearings..............

 

I am sure that you have covered these things but... Is the transfer case in 2wd or has the front driveshaft been removed? Are the front lock-outs unlocked or the front axle in the air? If the transfer case isn't in 2wd with the front driveshaft in place or the driveshaft removed, you could have a seemingly stuck carrier. Same for the front lock-outs. Just putting that out there so you aren't chasing down repairs that may not need to occur.

If the carrier bearings are shot, there typically is a lot of play in the carrier when moving it with a pry-bar.

 

Thanks,
Transfercase is in 2whdrive and the front drive shaft wont turn either....she is really stuck!!!
Gona get the front driveshaft out soon and check it to see if I can rotate the yoke.......
not sure on T/c if something could have broken and locked the front drive shaft, In 2whl drive..huuuuum..........not luck in locating a you tube video yet on how to set up the front ring gear and pinion....if those bearings are toast..............

 

Well its apart and from first glance i did the right thing when it started making its noise, looks like spider gears are the problem' very heated looking and the surfaces are pretty rough.
Not sure if i can save the carrier or not but i am thinking maybe but ,not gona risk