#31
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Last couple days have been a lot of labor for little result.
Had the exhaust all nice and buttoned up, sounded nice and quiet... Then the weld at the end of the Y pipe broke. The pipe from the Y pipe to the muffler was pretty rusty, so I measured it and walked to the closest exhaust shop to buy the length I needed and had them flare the end to fit over the Y pipe (was a clean break, Y pipe wasn't damaged) Then I realized I needed to put in a slight bend to line it up with the muffler. Then I had to find a way to bend it. Then I had to walk a block to a nearby renovation dumpster and use that to gain enough leverage to bend the pipe. Then had to walk back there because the bend wasn't enough. Then had to walk back there AGAIN because the bend still wasn't enough! Then I had to wrestle with it for hours because it didn't want to line up with the muffler or Y pipe. Then it didn't want to go into the muffler. Then the tailpipe didn't want to line up. So I went back to the dumpster to bend it. Then it still didn't want to clear the shocks. Had to bend it some more. Then I messed up the end that goes into the muffler. Then I had to use a hammer to bang the end into a shape that would go inside the muffler. Fought with it for 12 hours with the damn exhaust system kicking and screaming and fighting me every step of the way before I finally got it lined up enough to function! Leaks slightly at the Y pipe end. Only way I could secure it was with a band clamp, and even that wasn't easy what with the transmission and frame giving me almost zero room to turn a wrench! All that was yesterday. Today I decided to track down that power steering issue. Vise grips and a large crescent wrench would not remove the lines from the rack and pinion. Finally broke down and got a proper sized wrench for those lines. Then they came off easily. Go figure. The connectors and O rings look perfectly fine. Cleaned them up anyway and put it all back together. a short drive didn't reveal any more leaking so hoping and praying that I've fixed that headache! Oh, and did I mention that for September in Michigan, it was insanely hot and humid today? I sweated off about 5 pounds working in the heat, then drank a quart of water and ate 3/4ths of a pizza. Last edited by MRX37; 09-06-2015 at 08:31 PM. |
#32
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Well guys I got a new mystery. My passenger's side rear brake drum is leaking some kind of fluid.
The mystery is it's not brake fluid. The fluid smells like gear oil, my brake fluid reservoir is full, and the brake line and cylinder are dry. Last edited by MRX37; 09-10-2015 at 01:19 PM. |
#33
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rear end fluid from the shaft seal..... There is one at each drive wheel, and the
pinion seal where the propeller shaft goes in.... You got a wheel shaft seal leak.... You'll have to change the shoes as well.... .
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Yes you can call me "Squirrel boy" |
#34
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There's also a very good chance the axle shaft will be shot where it rides on the bearing.
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#35
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Okay... how much of a pain is this going to be to fix? Alternately how much time can I give it before taking it to the mechanic?
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Audiokarma |
#36
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Well, From what I have seen from the parts people, the bearing is a press on, so it should
not ride directly on the shaft, so most likely you do NOT have a damaged shaft. You will have to check for sure about this... I am seeing that it has a GM style "C" retainer inside the pumpkin, so you may have to open it up and remove the retainer clip to remove the shaft. If it's that style, I would imagine you will have to press off the bearing, then change the seal, and repress the bearing, or just get a new one, it would be worth it to do that if you got it out.... Again, I didn't find credible forums about this replacement specifically, so you should either get or look at your manual, or keep looking online for the best information.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHYCCyzE6DI Here's a video of someone taking axle out of a dodge, NOT the same vehicle but if you have a removable cover on the pumpkin, then you may have the type with the C clips, and here's how it's done.... It's not bad, it would be nice if it were like the really big trucks, you just unbolt the axle from the outside...... Nothin's easy.... I feel for ya- .
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Yes you can call me "Squirrel boy" Last edited by Username1; 09-10-2015 at 09:14 PM. |
#37
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That video likely doesn't apply. Chrysler redesigned the Dakota for the 97 model year, and in any case the RAM is a different beast all together.
If I gotta have a new bearing pressed on then it's got to go to the mechanic. I assume the gear oil is coming from the rear differential, so my plan is to keep that topped off and wait until i can afford another trip to the mechanic. And funny thing is either I've missed it or my haynes manual says nothing about the rear axle. |
#38
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I thought we were talking '92 for some reason, sorry. Yes the video is of a ram,
but if you have the "c" clip type rear end, it will be something like that to get the axle out, as opposed to 4 bolts and pull it out from where the brake plate is..... Well, you gotta figure out how the axle comes out, that is the key to $. Some come out fast and easy, and the seal is easy to replace and tap in with a hammer and wood, vs all kindsa work that may be better done at a mechanic if you don't have the equipment to do it all.... .
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Yes you can call me "Squirrel boy" |
#39
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If it has the C clip holding the axle in then it most likely has the axle that rides directly on the bearing, the pressed on bearing were usually held in by the four bolts that hold the backing plate on.
I recently inspected the rear differential on a Dakota for a friend of mine and it was the loose bearing type, I think it was a 93 model. |
#40
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Eric is right, I just got done looking at the manual for my '88, if yours is the same
it has the C clips, and the bearings ride on the shaft, So you will have a good bit of work to do to replace the seals. Some forums lump 92's with first gen, up to 97, so yours is most likely same as mine.... Must be the bigger models that have the 4 bolt thing... I think my fords had the 4 bolt thing..... I think I'll get my coal delivered this year..... .
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Yes you can call me "Squirrel boy" |
Audiokarma |
#41
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You may be right.
Then again around the 1990-1991 model year they changed the design a bit. Your 88 I'm pretty sure has 5 lugs on the wheels. Mine has 6. If they changed the lug pattern like that, what are the odds they changed the axle setup too? In any case I don't think I can tackle this one. This is one for the mechanic... |
#42
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Yes I have 5, I read in a few spots about 6 on later years and I thought it was a
mistake, after all these are smaller than the rams, why 6....? Well, good luck however you handle it, and as always we, and I am very interested in hearing how its going with your Dakota ! Have a great day ! .
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Yes you can call me "Squirrel boy" |
#43
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Thanks.
Yeah, 6 lugs on 1990 and later models and I think it stayed that way until 2000 when they went back to 5. |
#44
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Changing the Axle seals and bearings isn't all that difficult but it requires some special tools like a slide hammer and adapter for knocking the bearings out.
I found this post on changing the bearings, it's for a Ford but they are basically identical. One quibble, he says his axle looks fine but it doesn't look good to me, the bearing surface looks pretty bad to me. http://www.f150online.com/forums/art...lots-pics.html |
#45
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That surface actually looks very good ! I would not change that shaft....
And I think I would have left the bearings if they were not making noise. It's not an easy call on stuff that takes a lot of work to get to. It's the same reason when doing timing belts on honda's they always say do all the oil seals and water pump - because your "in there". I left one water pump in my wife's honda for 200K and it started leaking out the weep hole by the time The next T-belt was due. So now I do it on the 100's with the belt. That guy with all the tools laid out on the bench, I don't have 1/3 of those fancy tools when I do a job like that, so don't be intimidated. That bearing puller for example, I have made soooo many tools from threaded rods from the hardware store.... Pullers of all kinds can be made from stuff at the hardware store..... I have made lots of tools for those jobs as well. I got lots of steel, and a welder, so there is no tool you can't make at that point. .
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Audiokarma |
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