well i usually keep crap like this to myself but, maybe it will help someone else. for those who read my rantings remember that slack that i had after i installing my mini spool? well after i took it to the drags the slack was no longer there. so curiosity got the best of me and since it was raining and had nothing else to do i pulled the pan to check it out. that 1/8 inch left to right slack was enough to let the two square locker pieces slide out of the axle spools and wedge against the pinion shaft. as you might have guessed all the torque pushing on the pinion shaft caused it to bend wedging the to square lockers tighter. thats the reason the slack was gone. so i proceded to try and get the pinion out so i could rescue my new gears. i tapped this way ... spun it around tapped the other way ... back and forth til i messed up and got it pushed to far in towards the inside of the rearend housing. now i couldn't get the carrier to turn to tap it back couldn't get the mini spool lose, i was stuck. so i yanked the whole rearend out. it was pouring ran got muddy under the car, it was a pain but, i finally got it out and up on blocks where i could get to it. i banged, twisted, pulled, jerked, begged, pleaded ... it wouldn't budge. so i looked at another junker 3rd gen i have with a good rearend and said to heck with it. broke out my trusty reciprocating saw and some metal blades and took out my vengance on that rearend housing. cut me a big ole chunk out of the backside, big enough to knock the pinion the rest of the way out LMAO. well i rescued my gears bearings and axles. the brand spanking new mini spool and pinion bit the dust. looks like someone took a sledge hammer to it. oh well i learned a very valuble lesson. when building a rearend, if something tells you theres too much slack. it probably is. i'm not exactly sure why the slack was there. i replaced every shim and spacer like it was. i measured the other carrier that i'm gonna put back in it and the inside from axle hole to axle hole measures almost 1/4 inch less. i'm wondering if the carrier was just worn out and that slack was there from years and years of abuse. wish i would have known before i spent the cash to press new bearings on it. well if it rains to tomorrow i'll jerk the other rearend out and try and put it all back together. the joys of drag racing neverend LOL . sick

 

dam, how much was the mini spool? good thing you had a spare rear, maybee that has something to do with with your launching, who knows once you get it all back together it might hook up better!!

 

I guess I didn't get my last posting up fast enough to do you any good before you went to the track. Would it have done any good? Who knows? I hope this all works out for the better.

 

the spool wasn't but $95 bucks with shipping. i might can take a dremmel tool and work out the flattened edges and atleast get it to where the lockers will slide back in the spools. i've been second guessing myself all day about wether there was another way of getting that pinion out without chopping the housing. still haven't come up with one. i probably did see your posting but, sometimes i ignore the right way to do things so i can find out for myself LMAO. i learn more from mistakes than i do if i get it right LMAO. Sick