Question about getting a truck home

ponykilr

Guest
I am going to check out an F350 Saturday that has a bad rear axle. The guy says that the rear pinion is so loose you can move it up and down by hand. It is 2 hours away and I don't have access to a trailer that will haul it as the tires and wheels are very wide (Boggers)

If I take out the driveshaft and put it in 4high, can't I carefully drive it back?

I even thought about sliding the axles out and stuffing rags in the tube.
 
You can, but it will drive terrible. I drove my jeep home 20 miles like that, and it was scary, but only if you were on the gas or cruising. Things settled out when you got on the brakes, haha. Though the short wheelbase had a lot to do with it. An F350 would be more stable, but still not a fun experience. And if the rear axle is that bad, I wouldn't imagine the steering or front axle have been the most well cared for things either.
 
I lost my rear driveshaft on my 85 Toyota pickup this week. I drove it the mile home in front wheel drive. It sucked when I got to about 25 mph, lots of vibrations.
 
Where are you located? I've got a trailer you could use, I also have a buddy with a nice gooseneck that could haul it.

I wouldn't pull the shafts and drive it, the rear wheel bearings are lubed by gear oil.
 
Haha, the first time I went to Uwharrie with JT in the original Stump Jumper (76 GMC Jimmy), the rear ring and pinion in the 12 bolt shit the bed about 3 miles south of Denton at about 11pm at night. We pulled the diff cover to find the gears shot, so we removed the rear driveshaft, and drove the roughly 60 miles home with front wheel drive with no oil in the rear end with the diff cover still off, LOL! The ring and pinion were raising hell the whole time.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Where are you located? I've got a trailer you could use, I also have a buddy with a nice gooseneck that could haul it.

I wouldn't pull the shafts and drive it, the rear wheel bearings are lubed by gear oil.
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I am in Smithfield. I have an 03 F250 to haul it with but this truck is super wide. I am thinking the tires would be hanging off the sides of a regular car trailer. I think uhaul has a trailer that the fenders fold out or something. If I buy it, I plan to put stock 16.5 steelies on it with takeoff 37MTRs but dont have them yet. Might have to get them on it before hauling it.





 
I highly doubt that will fit on a U-Haul trailer. If I remember correctly, U-Haul won't rent a transporter trailer without the rent of one of their trucks/vans. Some weird policy.

You can usually find a dolly to rent. Find a local mom and pop equipment rental place and rent a car trailer from them; its usually like $65-$100 per day to rent.
 
ponykilr said:
You think a dolly would be wide enough?
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I seriously doubt it. I'd pull the rear DS, and take off in that thing and see how far you make it. You might be surprised.
 
You'd have to measure but its worth a shot. You would need smaller tires as the straps on a dolly are not long enough for something more than about a 32" tire
 
drkelly said:
I seriously doubt it. I'd pull the rear DS, and take off in that thing and see how far you make it. You might be surprised.
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You and me think alot alike LOL
I guess I might try it... I will probably just buy another axle (Probably cheaper than repairing the one in it, found one on CL for 250) so if I toast this one it's ok.

I have found the wheels (stock steel 16.5s) I need and know where the tires are too, but time constraints are the issue. I may just buy it and ask if it can sit there another week, then go back with the other tires.
 
don't quote me or should I say I'm not sure BUT, isn't the rear shaft a slip yoke style? And If it is removed want you dump most of the T-Case fluid and ruin the thing with no fluid circulating?
 
I'm also guessing with the right tools you could tighten the pinion nut enough to get it home, unless the bearing is plum FUBAR. I'd at least check it to see if it has backed off, Ford has had some issues with pinion nuts getting loose, esp. on sterling axles. Can't remember what's in the back of these years.
 
some, My father was a Service Manger for a Ford Dealer for 25 or more years. Enough that TSB's were generated and some routine service guidelines implemented.
 
I had a pinion nut back off with my f-250, gunned back down with a new seal.....still running. But that was a Dana 61.....good luck.

$100 buys a set of rollers @ PAP ...
 
I'm new to the Sterling world and just bought a dually rear for a project but heard if it's a 10.25, it's a "must" to upgrade to 10.5 internals (ring/ pinion/ yoke). Exerything else is same for 10.25 and 10.5. Or find a 10.5 instead of 10.25.

Something about weaker pinion spline in a 10.25 that's prone to doing exactly this... and among other things. But heard the 10.5 was Fords answer to the 14 bolt and is just as stout???
 
If you're in smithfield, where is the truck? I have a trailer and truck that will haul that no problem. I'm in New Bern NC but could be in smithfield in 1.5 hours. PM me if your interested.

Dave
 
6BangBronk said:
I'm new to the Sterling world and just bought a dually rear for a project but heard if it's a 10.25, it's a "must" to upgrade to 10.5 internals (ring/ pinion/ yoke). Exerything else is same for 10.25 and 10.5. Or find a 10.5 instead of 10.25.

Something about weaker pinion spline in a 10.25 that's prone to doing exactly this... and among other things. But heard the 10.5 was Fords answer to the 14 bolt and is just as stout???
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I can't say much about the strength differences on these axles, I'm more Dana fluent. Chase probably knows that kind of stuff. I just remember it was one of those things I learned by sticking my nose in everyone's bay every time I got the chance from when I was 3 ft. tall to 6ft. tall!
 
I drove my lifted dodge w250 2days after snapping a axle it was very interesting undep power and turning but other than that it wasnt bad

sent by telegraph from my k30
 
ponykilr said:
It is a Sterling. So they had an issue with the nuts backing off?
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The nut doesn't move. Either the bearings go bad and it loosens up that way, or it pulls the threads on the pinion and it gets loose like that. If you compare the threads on a 10.25 or 10.50 pinion to, say, a 14 bolt, it's a much smaller nut with much finer threads.

I wasted a whole lot of money on a 10.25 one time....
 
If you're in smithfield, where is the truck? I have a trailer and truck that will haul that no problem. I'm in New Bern NC but could be in smithfield in 1.5 hours. PM me if your interested.

Dave


^^^^^^^^This is probably not your cheapest option, but definitely your safest...am I biased? absolutely, does the guy have the right equipment and your not gonna spend a bunch of your time screwing around a couple hours from home in someone elses yard HOPING to fix it enough to MAYBE drive it home? ABSOLUTELY !!
 
Well, the whole trip was a bust. Truck has a dead miss with new dist and wires...
12" of blocks in rear, blocks in front, torn up rear axle, ac inop, no exhaust...

People on CL kill me misrepresenting stuff.
 
Well that sucks !!!
 
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