Hey all, I just found this site while trying to find out what exactly is wrong with the rear end in my 94 silverado. The other day the rear driver's side drum locked up on me when trying to leave the driveway to go to work, I had to leave it there and when I got out of work, i tried to get it back in the driveway and not blocking the sidewalk. Well needless to say, it didn't wanna budge with that whell locked up, all it did was spin the pass. tire so I gave up. My neighbor pushed it back in the driveway with his 4wd shortly after, and I threw it in park after that and let it sit till today when I could get to it. I took the drum off and replaced all the springs and holddowns, the shoes and drums were fine, still have alot of life left. Well here's the thing, I still have one more spring to connect, it got too dark I had to come in, but the bad part is, when I took the pass side drum off to use it as a reference to re-assemble the driver's side brakes, everything inside the drum area is soaked with gear oil, it sounds like a bad bearing when you turn the wheel. And here's the most odd thing... You can turn the wheels freely while it is in park, as if it's not ever connected to the driveshaft anymore! What did I do?!? Did I snap something in the axle trying to move it with the locked tire?

 

I would say that is probably why it locked up in the first place. Something broke in the diff.

 

Sounds like spider gears ( the gears that connect the axles to the differential ) are broken. These are inside the Ring gear carrier and have a cross pin that connects it all together. Good luck.

 

Your being able to turn the tires is a normal. It does seem strange but normal. Something a little stranger turn one side and look at the other, I bet it turns the other dirrection. On a limited slip diff they do that. On a posi they should both go the same direction.

 

Yep that was it, the brakes are fixed, now i just need a seal on the pass side axle, thank god it's not the rear gears. Thanks for the replies!

 

Glad it wasn't the diff. That can be a real expensive fix. Brakes are easy. Good job kcb37, You called it. That's what a forum is for. It's hard to diagnose things via Computer but We all give it Our best shot.