Friday morning at Blazer Bash. A small sample of the trucks that showed up.
We chose to go on the Steelbender trail. That proved to be dumb on my part. But we did pretty good until we didn't.
The Fall was pretty crazy to go down.
This might give you an idea how the rest of the trail went.
The cliff notes version is I hurt the beast. Bad. Started out with what sounded like another broken front axle shaft. Upon further inspection both looked ok. Got tugged out of a light spot and got to a spot to take the hub apart on the side that made the noise. Found lots of debris, chunks and gritty grease. The outer locknut on the spindle backed off and chewed up the backside of the hub. The spindle was damaged too on the threads. I patched it together which, was to throw another lockout hub on it and worry about it back at camp. The problem was, we had more break on the way out. Taking it easy we were rolling along when we heard a loud snap come from under the truck an seconds later a report of a massive amount of fluid leaking.
We stopped again to inspect. It's atf pouring at a high rate. Since the nv4500 doesn't take ATF the only source is the 241. It's got a gaping wound on the rear case half near the skid plate. So much for the skid plate protecting the case. We had got hung up on the belly earlier and it shoved the factory skid plate up into the case. It bound it up the noise we heard was the case letting go.
Group consensus was to pull the rear shaft and get tugged out. After making it another half mile and popping a front tire off the bead from getting tugged I lost my cool and vented some, regrouped and shoved the shaft back in and went back to driving it in 2wd to keep the load off the front output. We still had a way to go and a handfull of crazy climbs to get out. We got tugged in the hard spots but drove it out. One of the other guys got a trailer over to the trail to get us back to camp.
We were late enough the BBQ was going on already with the rest of the Blazer Bash attendees. I was handed the hard luck award for our troubles.
The next day we spent figuring out how to get the K5 back to Denver. Though many offered, I ended up calling Bill and out he came with the rescue Waggy and a trailer.
Since getting back my son and I repaired the axle with a fresh good used spindle and bearings. All the grease was flushed out to rid it of the metal slurry and chunks.
We then removed the t-case and got to inspect it further. First thing I noticed was the skid plate still being under tension until we loosened up the bolts to it. With it apart the rear half we knew was cracked, but we found a small crack in the front too. I had a spare case so I wasn't too concerned. But the rear output bearing housing was cracked at a mounting ear too. Being a 2 year only passenger side drop 241 with the VSS sensor, that housing is a unicorn to find.
Coming apart..
Junk in the case stuck to the magnet. Turns out it was a block from the synchronizer and one of the retaining springs.
Broke bearing housing.
Though my search had me spread a net far and wide. I ended up calling Off Road Design in hopes they had a junk 241 core I could rob parts from. They didn't but they did enlighten me that a Driver side drop 241 rear bearing housing fits. The VSS sensor clocks differently but it's still in line with the tone ring. Found one on ebay and ordered it.
Waiting on a couple of small pieces I ordered to go back together. I did already get a full rebuild kit and a SYE kit too.