Hi Guys,
I recently bought a project '79 Caballero Laredo solid bodied Southern unit, almost rust free (except for the AC box area), with no engine or tranny. I've had a '70 Chevy 350 and a Muncie 4spd in my garage looking for a home for several years, but that's a story for later.

It appears that this '79 had been modified wtth a 5th wheel in the bed. A 1"X 6" piece of steel plate running from rear spring tower to rear spring tower and welded to the tops of the spring towers gave me a hint as did the 1 1/4 inch hole drilled through the bed and the steel bar. I had a hunch that I might find wheel bearing problems, which I did. The thing that blew my mind was when I pulled off the rear axle cover, out came about a 50/50 mixture of water and black goo. Where did this water come from, and if it was poured into the rear end deliberately, why?? I'm stumped! Larry:???:

larry, sounds as tho you have a car that has been a flood

I would guess that your Caballero was used to tow a boat and the water entered thru the vent when it was backed down for loading and unloading. I think that a boat trailer would be a bumper pull, but maybe it was a big boat. Just my guess!!

well, when they first saw the aliens...........

:secret:

I wondered about that too but the interior shows no sign of water damage, still could be tho, thanks.

That last post was intended for Old Timer. I'll get better.:smileyb:

I would guess that your Caballero was used to tow a boat and the water entered thru the vent when it was backed down for loading and unloading. I think that a boat trailer would be a bumper pull, but maybe it was a big boat. Just my guess!!

Didn't think about that but you might be right on. I forgot to mention in my original post that the rear springs are jacked up with steel screw spreaders. Whatever they were doing with it was heavy. Thanks.

Brought back this old thread because a few days ago I was cleaning the axel housing for painting. Noticed that the right side of the center section had a lot of oil soaked dirt on it while the rest of the unit was quite clean. I scraped off a good 3/4 inch of crud and found an empty hole where the vent should have been, but has been gone for a loooong time. Not broken, just gone. Because of the damage done inside by water, sand and whatever else entered that hole, my '79 now has the rear end from my '78 doner.:smileyb:

Just a tip for ya, those 7.5 rears don't like lots of hard shifting with the muncies if your still going that direction. Ask Me how I know lol

Brought back this old thread because a few days ago I was cleaning the axel housing for painting. Noticed that the right side of the center section had a lot of oil soaked dirt on it while the rest of the unit was quite clean. I scraped off a good 3/4 inch of crud and found an empty hole where the vent should have been, but has been gone for a loooong time. Not broken, just gone. Because of the damage done inside by water, sand and whatever else entered that hole, my '79 now has the rear end from my '78 doner.:smileyb:
Ahh another well solved problem or problem well solved.:You_Rock:

Just a tip for ya, those 7.5 rears don't like lots of hard shifting with the muncies if your still going that direction. Ask Me how I know lol

Bet I can guess! Yup, still headed there but second thoughts keep creeping in. :beer:

When I used to buy rear ends from a auto salvage place, I always looked inside them for water, since many of the yards around here got flooded occasionally, and some rears did have water in them.

I hate to correct you ss454 but ive got 413 dynoed ponies going through my 7.5 with a eaton posi and 373 gears and i beat the crap out of it every chance i get!! As for the water in diff glad you solved that !!!!!!

I hate to correct you ss454 but ive got 413 dynoed ponies going through my 7.5 with a eaton posi and 373 gears and i beat the crap out of it every chance i get!! As for the water in diff glad you solved that !!!!!!

I see you didn't read the post, I said nothing about ponies, even though I'm pushing almost 150 more then you. I said banging gears with my muncie. What no one understands is that those rears like automatics. They hate standards, ask my old rear, burnt clutch packs, twisted axles, actually twisted the splines right off of one and cracked the ring gear in half.

It was fine you could have put in 2 cans stop leak, 2 cans of STP, 4 bananas, one coffee can of saw dust and traded it on a new XXXX and they would have never known it, but do it quick as it has an experation date. :secret:

my 7.5 was great with an auto even chirped through the gears no problem switched to a T5 tore the axel tube right out of it but the stick will give you more wow factor :smileyb: