stock rear axle advice

[phoenix]

I took my M715 off roading yesterday and I ended up scraping a rock with the rear diff and managed to peel the diff cover back just enough for all the gear oil to leak out. Needless to say, after I was done off roading for the day and I headed back to base camp, the rear axle locked up doing 45 MPH stopping me cold with a horrible screech. I thought it was the brakes at that time since it was dark. I limped it home having it lock up about 30 times or more within 4 miles or so all at very low speed (less than 5 miles an hour and one tire on snow. I jacked up the rear and spun the wheels. the wheels spin freely, but it sounds awfull.

The question is, with no diff fluid, would the housing survive? or am I looking at spun outer bearing races with a toasted housing? I had to leave the truck at a friends house 130 miles away. I had no time to open it up, but I am trying to figure out if I swap out the entire axle, or buy all the insides and hope that it isnt trashed.

I would guess that someone on this site would have some extra stock gears from a gear swap laying around somewhere to sell me. so maybe I would just need to get some bearings to keep the cost low.
I may know someone with a spare axle, just not sure of the cost.

anyone have any experience with this?

[brute4c]

I have a used but in good condition D70 and a D70 that has been completely rebuilt with new everything to at least as good as stock stuff.

If you want to go that route, let me know...not too far for you to pick up...

[kwai]

Cheaper to pick up a whole new rear axle than fix the old one. And faster too.

[randyscycle]

Bearings aren't anything special, so they are prbably avialable through a local part supplier. Problem is though, you most likely damaged the gears as well, if not from lack of lubrication, then by the major change in the pattern from the failed bearings and continuing to drive that way.

Factor in the cost of new bearings and a set of gears and you're already in the hole. Then if you get it apart and one of the races spun in the housing, you have junk. Finding a complete axle like Kwai suggested will get you going quickly and cheaply. Of course there is the variable of not knowing what you'll end up with in a used, unknown.

Were it me, I'd just do what I normally end up doing: reengineering the whole thing, doing an axle swap, buying new rims, adding hydroboost for the 4 wheel discs, and of course painting the new axles before installing them with the new leaf springs.....

[phoenix]

My friend that has the truck at his house took a look at it and told me that the gears are good, the bearings for the diff look ok too. He said that the front pinion bearing spit out its bearings and allowed the pinion shaft to move tward the ring gear locking it up. he said that I could get by replacing just the pinion bearings and call it good, but it would be best to change out the diff bearings also. I told him to take the pinion totally out and make sure that the bearings outer race didnt spin in the housing, but he is out of town for a couple of days. I may have gotten lucky and everything but the bearings are OK. I found a rear stock axle from a friend up the road from me for 300 minus brakes just in case I need a whole axle.