Rear end question

[soybean]

Here is a good one. I drove the Gt into the shop yesterday to start replacing the old rubber with polyurethane. Drove fine, in fact went around the block to make sure everything was working. Dropped the rear end, pulled it out, removed everything, took the forklift and moved it up to the pressure washer.Today I sprayed it down with Marine clean, pressure washed almost all the accumulated grime off, moved it back to the shop to dry. Went back a while ago, pulled the drums off, and for some reason spun the axle by hand. No movement through the torque tube at the universal. Thought that's strange, took the torque tube off, tried again. Still no movement at the pinion nut? Took a universal wrench and turned the pinion nut, it turns freely with slight movement of the axle. Held the axle and did the same thing, no movement at all. I was so hot and disgusted I quit and came back up to the house. I haven't taken the back cover off yet to see what I can see. Anyone have any ideas? I can't figure out what I could have done. Thanks, Jarrell

[oldopelguy]

So, with the torque tube off the splined barrel nut on the pinion end and the axle ends are connected as they should be, when one turns the other turns, but with the torque tube on the end of it doesn't turn with the wheels? Not a problem, the end of the inner drive shaft was probably pulled out enough during removal to no longer engage with the splines on the barrel nut. Put the torque tube back on, give the u-joint end a good push "in" and check to make sure it all works.

[Bidi]

Exactly what oldopelguy said... Here's a link to help you visually understand what was going on: Open Differential... Go through the next 2 pages. Open Differentials are pretty weird when it comes to turning. It's supposed to send torque to the wheel with the least amount of torque. To make sure, get another person and have them turn the other axle at the same time, and direction, as you do. It should spin then.

[soybean]

I went back down to the shop after I had eaten dinner and calmed, cooled down. I put the drums back on and the torque tube back on. Got my son to hold one side, I held the other and turned it, and it starts turning properly. Took the torque tube off, drums still on, took an adjustable wrench and turned the pinion nut and it works again correctly. I think I've had a "Twilight Zone Opel moment" Then while I'm still puzzled as all get about this, I come up and read what OldOpel Guy and Bidi wrote. Bidi, the site you recommended helped greatly. It makes more sense now. Most of the time when I've swapped rear ends, it was just that, and not pulling it down to replace and repaint to this degree. Thanks for the advice, help, and I'm glad I'm not entirely over the "Deep End" yet.
Jarrell

[GTJIM]

It's when you are over the Deep End and the Pool is empty that you should start worrying........
Good article on rear ends BTW - thanks.