kw/00 wrote:
I’m curios, what vehicle? How many miles? Was the rear end worked on prior? Just never has happened ever to me, or anyone that I know, but if u had the experience then tell us about it. I have never seen one break, even towing heavy. I have worked on cars and trucks personally now for most my life including farm equipment and I’m going on 46. I’m sure there has been cases of issues like yours, just very rare. Anything can happen at any given time. All because I own a 3/4 ton HD truck with a full floater doesn’t immune me from having any drivetrain issues. But your comment doesn’t really help the OP. He’s just asking about the diesel version of the 1/2 truck that he’s interested in.
It was a Ford 8.8 in a Ford Ranger. It was not due to wear, the c clip broke and the axleshaft would have completely exited the vehicle with the brake drum, wheel, and tire, but for the existence of the caliper and brake pad that held the axleshaft in the housing.
It's not very rare and anyone who has ever been to a drag strip has probably seen it happen with far less load than any tow vehicle would have.
Having a full floating axle means that a 3 1/2" tube with a 1/2" thick steel wall, welded to a spindle and riding on bearings is supporting the weight. A semi floating axle depends completely on the axleshaft, one axle bearing, and depending on design, a tiny c clip to hold the axleshaft in the housing.
Others are free to disagree and do whatever they want, but I no longer tow with 1/2 ton trucks, and I don't think you should, either.
I do all my own work on my vehicles. I replaced the c clip and it never broke again. I can't explain to you how it broke because there was no obvious answer to that and it never broke again afterward. But I can tell you that this is NOT uncommon.
blt2ski wrote:
twodownzero wrote:
Towing with a vehicle equipped with a semi floating rear axle is something I'm no longer willing to do.
"IF" GM follows past years diesel rigs in full size half tons, back to the 350 diesel in early 80s. They.had full floaters behind them! Granted not 10.5" C14 axles, but 8.5 @ 9.5" equals.
At least the 350, 6.2 and 6.5TD did. The 1500 6.5s included a 4L80e trans, no th the 700R4/4L60E derivatives.
Until you know for sure what that truck has, better to keep some opinions to one self.
I have 130k on my 20008 lug C2500 9.5" SF axle no issues.
Marty
The 9.5" 14 bolt was a semi floating axle. It had 33 spline axleshafts that are bigger than a typical 10 bolt GM truck axle but it was not a full floating design and in my view, it was not anywhere near the strength of even a modest (think Toyota) full floating design like the micro mini motorhomes have. Ford has a larger semi floating axle it uses in some of its heavier duty 1/2 tons as well. These designs provide none of the benefits of a full floating axle and only a marginal increase in strength to handle the torque of the larger/more powerful engines that are now popular.
Were 1/2 ton trucks equipped with a full floating axle in the rear, even one that was smaller than their heavy duty big brothers, I would recommend towing modest weight with them. Toyota, for example, used a full floating axle with a ~8" ring gear in some of the Land Cruisers. But until that day, I would avoid towing anything heavy with a 1/2 ton truck. Your whole life could depend on a tiny c clip or a single axle shaft. Just not worth the risk to me.
