And that is exactly why I paid $400 for American-made 4130 axles.

 

That’s the crazy thing. Is 30 splines but the ring gear is 7,625. That’s why I can’t find the axle easily.

 

30 splines = 8.625".

 

Maybe post a picture of it?

 

Yes the ring gear is 8.625 and is 30 splines. But in the side of the wheel the differential has the small bearing that is used for the 7.625. I have been looking everywhere and I can’t find an axle with this specifications. And the RPO says GU6

 

30 Splines, You have an 8.5 Saginaw under there, lucky,

 

So now we need to know if you have G80 and/or ZR2 RPO codes. I am guessing not ZR2, since the ZR2 appears to take the bigger axle bearing (1.62"). I see a 26.5" axle with 1.4" bearing diameter, but I think that is too short for a 4WD. Still looking.

 

OK here you go. I believe I have it all figured out. First link immediately below - this shows the application and P/N for the discontinued axle. Note GU6 manual trans 4WD. You should also have RPO codes DS6 and LJ3 and G80. These are 30-spline axles specific to the 5-speed trans in 4WD Blazer with a 8.625 ring gear and a Gov-bomb posi - but without the ZR2 option. 28.8215" long.
26058079 - GM Shaft. Rear axle drive. Shaft, r/axl. Shaftraxl | Wholesale GM Parts Online, Louisville KY

Here's a few options for a NOS axle
GM 26058079 Shaft, genuine OEM part (oemcats.com)

Here's one option for an aftermarket axle. Just put the GM part number in Google for more.


Correct bearing appears to be AC/Delco #RW20-09 (57.150mm OD x 35.554mm ID) Note this is a small bearing with 1.40" ID. (The bearing for the ZR2 axle is bigger ID at 1.62")
Seal is more troublesome as the specs for the one I found (AC Delco #291-324) doesn't seem quite right for the bearing. Maybe the specs I found elsewhere were in error. This IS the seal listed in Wholesale GM Parts Online for your application. I would take the numbers off the existing seals and bearings - and replace with same number.

 

Nice work! Maybe you guys should take a run at finding a Jimmy Hoffa next. Lol

George

 

Hope the OP comes back for the info. It turned out to be more than a trivial parts search!

Looks like he has the 4WD version of the rear end I have in my S10 racer. Mine originally came out of a 2002 S10 Extreme 2WD with 4.3 and a 5-speed. 2WD 8.625 has 26.5" axles and same small bearings. Completely broke the spider gears in a aftermarket Eaton clutch type posi the very first time I used a new trans brake. Driveshaft spinning - wheels not turning. Lucky it didn't break the housing. Took entire housing out of the vehicle for repairs. Now mine has all new gears/bearings, a full spool, and c-clip eliminators w/tapered wheel bearings designed for a much earlier 8.5 10-bolt. Had to convert to drum brakes because c-clip eliminators were not compatible with disk brakes. That required cutting the centers of new backing plates oversize to fit on the slightly larger register of the disk brake axle. (And the c-clip company said their product wouldn't work on my axle.......) Also I had to whack off the bearing end of each side of the housing flush with the backing plate to install them (that really made me cringe to do it) - no going back! Put it all together with a new forged pinion yoke, new forged slip yoke, new 4" driveshaft with 1350 ujoints, and a new Strange LPW rear cover that holds the carrier bearing caps in place. It was my first rear end setup and hopefully my last. What a pain!

Here's some interesting trivia for 8.625 rears. Did you know they use standard GM 12 bolt carrier bearings. They can use same ring/pinion as an old 8.5 from the 70's, but the pinion yoke seal is larger ID. You can use an 8.5 pinion yoke in the 8.625 if you change the seal to the one for the 8.5. If you buy an aftermarket Eaton carrier or spool and put it in an 8.625, you don't need the same special bearings (smaller OD/large ID) required for installing the carrier in the 8.5 housing. However the shims in your bearing kit may be for the wrong carrier bearings (as were mine) - you need 12 bolt shims. This seems to be lost on the people configuring the kits.