I have a 1950 five window pickup with a 79 camaro rearend. I have not had any problems with the rearend for the year that I have owned it, but now all of the sudden the rearend will not roll backwards. I noticed the other day when I put my truck in reverse and it would not move. Almost like having the emergency brake on, even feels this way when driving forward. I jacked up the back of the truck and rotated one wheel in reverse and the other wheel rotated in the opposite direction. So I think when the truck is trying to go in reverse both wheels are trying to counteract each other. As I said before this is the first time that this has happened. Does anyone here have any suggestions as to what is causing this or what I can do to fix it... Thanks...
A leaking axle seal can cause the brakes to grab in one direction.Look at the bottom of the backing plate for any dusty oil residue.
Sorry for the short question, i'm at work. The reason I asked if it is open or posi is if it is a posi you need to have the correct lube in it. Had a old chevy PU that WOULDN'T coast down a steep hill. Found out that before we got it someone had changed the gear lube. Without the correct additive the posi starts to lock up, no damage that we could find. Put the additive in drove it in circles one way then the other about 15 times and started to work like new again. Hope this helps.
I doubt it is brake related as you said you rotated one wheel and noted the other turning the opposite direction. This is normal for a standard, non posi rear (or if the clutches are worn out on a posi) if the driveshaft does not turn. I would pull the drums and driveshaft then try again. Check for play in the pinion. I have seen worn pinion bearings allow the pinion gear to bind up in the ring gear. It seems to effect reverse first. Eventually it gives out or locks up altogether. Still yet it could be a trans issue. Standard trans?
No I don't think it is the brakes either, and the tranny is a rebuilt turbo 350. I will have to look into it a little more tomorrow and see what I can find. Thanks for the help so far.
I had this happen on one of my Pontiacs, and the culprit turned out to be one of the U-joints. I missed two of the needle bearings when reassembling it during my engine installation.
Did it act like it was binding up and not letting the vehicle roll backwards. I can't even get my truck to roll backwards by pushing it even in neutral.
you may want to check on the spider gear if your not having problems with the master brake cylinder or tranny.
I don't think it is brakes because when the truck is jacked up the back wheels turn freely forward. But they turn opposite each other when turned in reverse.
This leads me to believe it is NOT the spider gears. Nor the transmission. Crawl under it and try to move the pinion yoke up and down. There should not be any play. With the car on the ground shift from forward to reverse (with your foot on the brake) while someone safely watches for movement in the pinion. It should only rotate slightly, not move up and down or left/right. Pull the cover and see if the retaining bolt for the cross pin has sheared. That's pretty common. It allows the pin to walk out of place and bind up.
Thanks for the info guys. I will check out the pinion in the morning. I will let you know what I find out..
Take the driveshaft out. Check it for scrapes or rubs from binding on something or bad u joints, this most likely is not your problem though. Then see if the car rolls freely. If it does, the problem is in the disconnected trans, if it doesn't it is in the rear diff from the pumpkin to the brakes. Try this first, if you have not. Wil www.sakowskimotors.com
Before you do that, Jack it up so both rear wheels are a few inches off the ground (jack under center section) and start it and gently put it in gear and see what happens. Check to see if the driveshaft is turning or trying to turn with it in gear (forward and reverse). If the driveshaft tries to turn and doesn't turn the rear end the problem is probably in the rear end. The pin that holds the pin that holds the spiders tends to break easily on these rear ends allowing the pin that the spiders ride on to slip out and hit the housing. Put the trans in neutral and see if you can turn the driveshaft by hand. If not which end is binding up? One more thing, the Turbo 350 doesn't like to pull in reverse if it is too low on fluid so you might check the fluid level first before doing anything else. The one in my daily driver has to have it's fluid level just so or it doesn't want to back up, especially if it is up an incline.
Trans fluid was checked first thing. I will try pulling the drive shaft and see what happens. That should eleminate the trans I would think.
I had a similar problem with the rear in the 41. It was a 76 Camaro 10 bolt like you have. It was the pin that runs through the spider gears. The keeper broke allowing the pin to slip out of the gears enough to hit the inner housing. rotating in the direction that would carry the car forward it was able to hit the housing at an angle that pushed the pin back in, rotating the opposite way caused it to hit at an angle that did not allow this. I jacked it up and still could not rotate it backwards until I rotated it forwards again. That's when I felt and heard the thump in the rear. My guess is that it was harder to detect running by hand as the forces acting on the rear are coming from the wheel and not the drive shaft. Sorry to say the easiest way to see what's up may be to open the thing up. At least it's just a cover plate on that one.
Yep, exactly what I was trying to say earlier. So we got three votes for spiders This is FUN! Its like a car game show. Perhaps we should make it a H.A.M.B monthly challenge - collect points all months and earn prizes lol. Now get on down there and let us know how it works out?!
You have a bunch of good suggestions! One thing I would also check is your FRONT brakes. You don't notice a problem with the rear axle off the ground...but you can't drive the vehicle with the front wheels off the ground either, so don't rule that end of the truck out. I wonder do you have a sticking front brake from a bad flex hose or from a non-returning brake pedal? I'd pull the rear cover, have good look and give it a gear oil change anyway, then give the brake system a good checkover just because it's the next cheapest possibility for your issue. You don't want to go pulling transmissions and getting them rebuilt, THEN realize it was a $20.00 brake hose causing all the trouble!!!!
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