Got back from our Montana trip last night at midnight.
We started out 10 days ago in my 97 TJ missing two gears in my freshly rebuilt AX-15. I expected it to blow up...but after 250 miles of OHV and Forest service roads the pinion bearing gave out on the rear end.
My father in law dragged the TJ off in my dump trailer and we finished with my wife's recently purchased JK.
This morning I called Gear Works in Bend, OR... they're waiting on the correct front seal and should have it this afternoon... they're stand up guys and will do the transmission swap this time...I did it twice inside a week...put it in, missing gears, pulled it, drove it to Bend...they said nothing was wrong...drove it home...put it back in...no 1 and no 4.
Also started a warranty claim on my Black Max shocks. Both puked their guts out. Probably had too many tools in the back anticipating having to pull a transmission on the trail.
Confirmed the pinion was out on the Dana 35. You can shake the yoke like a polaroid. Was all new parts. Twin Peaks Off-road in Roseburg did the gear setup after I messed with it for two weeks and wasn't comfortable with my patterns.
Wondering what caused it. Has oil...I ran 85w 140 and I'm guessing that got it too hot. That or I just fucked the bearing pulling it one two many times chasing a better pattern.
Gonna crack the cover here and see what comes out. Kinda pissed my father in law parked the truck and trailer on my grassy hill instead of the flat parking lot. Hard angle to the right...so if there was any shrapnel it's all over the driver tube...which means a complete tear down...sigh.
And the AC compressor shit the bed...and I just got the system filled.
Can't win here...
Back to work...
-Mac
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