Rear axels, 300TDT

[shear2001]

My 85 300TDT just turned 411k. I'm hearing a knocking noise when I make a sharp right turn which is comming somewhere in the rear. I'm assuming it's the axel. I noticed one of boots is torn also. My question is should I replace both axels?, and if so what about the rear bearings?Are they included in a set of rebuilds?, or are the bearings seperate? Obviously I'm going to have this done by someone who hopefully knows what he's doing, I just want to have all the parts ready for him. Thanks..

[leathermang]

Might be a wheel bearing but is more likely the axle...
If the boot is torn on the other side I would replace both at the same time.. particularly if you are paying someone to put them on..
as part of the labor is shared.... wheel bearings do not come with it.
and you might need to plan ahead on acquiring a hand full of shims for inside your 3rd member.... check out RLeo's thread lately about that...

[R Leo]

Originally Posted by leathermang

you might need to plan ahead on acquiring a hand full of shims for inside your 3rd member.... check out RLeo's thread lately about that...

You probably have a bad CV joint in one of those axles...they will make a popping or bumping sound.

On Shims...
With all the miles that car has on it, you should do both axles...since you have to open the diffy up anyway, it is easier to do them both at the same time. Keep the shims from the old axles and put them on the replacements...remember which one goes on the left and which goes on the right.

Write if you need help.

[leathermang]

On a car that old I did not assume he had the original shafts... thus suggested he look for boot condition...
On the shims... and this is a good time to suggest putting new 3rd member side seals... that the ' new' axles will probably need different width shims... and that is not something one wants to start looking for with the car up on the jacks and the mechanics meter running...

[R Leo]

Originally Posted by leathermang

... ' new' axles will probably need different width shims.

If the axle retaining clips are a tight fit when removing them, then you have the right shim. If your retaining clips are a sloppy fit, you'll need to find some shims. See this thread.

Theoretically, shims should stay with the differential (by being moved to the replacement axles) during an axle swap.

[leathermang]

The distance is going to be determined by the shoulder to circlip cut distance... which will vary according to the half shaft placed there.. so is likely to be different for each axle. Not something which just automatically transfers from old one to a rebuilt one...