# Rear axle operating temp?



## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I just got off the interstate were I did a couple of high speed runs on and off the ramps twice and then about 2 miles home. When I got home the rear axle was a bit warm and make some slight clunking as I was backing into the shed. So I pulled into the garage and checked, pulled the cover off and measured the temp, it was at 161.4 F on the face of the gears. The bearing areas were slightly less. I know I was pounding on it, but that seems a bit warm, is this normal or do I maybe have a bearing going out?


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Dange it, I think my carrier is shot. I`m getting a bunch of banging and clicking when turning, specially the slower I go. I tryed full synthetic with the same results. Both times the fluids said it was for limited slip diffs. Unless someone has an easy 'how to rebuild the 10 bolt posi' I`m off to Summit to do some research.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

How's your pinion bearing? I've seen them come loose and cause all kinds of mayhem. I had my ten bolt rebuilt back in 1990 by Larry Woltzen of California Differential. He was in an articl of High Performance Pontiac magazine at the time. rebuilding the cone-clutch posi is supposedly not do-able, but he had a "secret" process. My unit is trouble free after 18 years (but not too many miles) of use. I paid over $900 back then to have it done. You might be better off installing an Auburn clutch type unit in your existing carrier and going from there. One thing I know: carrier run-out is crtiical with these units. If you have over about .002", you've got problems. As for carrier bearings, I don't think I've ever seen a set outright fail, not with lube still in the rear end. I've seen pinion nuts back off, and grenade the diff that way, tho'. I think your temps sound normal. Not excessive. Keep us posted, and good luck with it.
Jeff


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Rukee, How are your axle bearings(at the wheel hubs) sometimes when they go they make similar noises, and you can often feel them "clunk" when driving....also 160degrees isn't that hot....Eric


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

The end of the axle tubes are not warm at all and at 160* it`s almost too hot to keep your hand on! I`m thinking it`s too hot. it only makes the noise when turning, not at all going in a straight line.
GM won`t touch it, they say the 10 bolts are non-rebuildable and discontinued the replacement part # in `84. I`m looking at the auburn units now, looks like about $400 plus an install kit.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Well, a quick call to Randy`s Ring and Pinion got me fixxed right up. They said too, 165 is too high, should be more like 110 max. Got me a new Auburn unit and an install kit on the way for Thursday. They gave me a great deal with a discount for my shop. :cheers


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

And, the truth of the matter is, the Auburn unit is better than the oem cone unit: It's stronger, and it's rebuildable!!! When I had mine done in 1990, I'm sure Larry had a whole pile of NOS parts. He did LOTS of diffs back in the day. I'll try not to break mine again.....(the last time It was out of oil and I didn't know it....car had been stored for about a year with a pinhole leak in the cover!!)
Good luck with the install.
Jeff


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

The Auburn unit came yesterday and I installed it today with all new bearings and races. Install went great. The original carrier didn`t make the clicking noise until it got hot after a couple blocks of driving. When I took it apart the pinion races look a bit discolored, wish they were worse so i could say for sure that was it, but it does run cooler now. The original carrier is probably alright, I`ll hang onto to it for sure. I have a slight whine under acceleration, but not bad.


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