How important is the roll pin? I just replaced a rear wheel bearing and I accidently put the axle back on the diff stub 180 degree's off. Can I drive the car that way? What would happen with no roll pin?

I've never driven one without the roll pin due to the axle being 180 degrees off, but I've used nails in place of the roll pins. I wanna go out on a limb and say as long as you're not beating on it alot it should be alright, but I can't say for sure.

I would just take a minute to fix it. You could always just unbolt the diff mount allowing you to move the diff housing to the side just enough to slide the axle off the stub and put it back on the right way.

i had a pin fall out on me at some point between driving 2k miles and then another 15 miles on sand @ cape hatteras, and it chewed up a brand new inner cv boot... but i was also going 25mph on sand, which is a hell of a lot more work than pavement on the suspension and cv axle.

 

id like to think you will be fine. hell, i used a long 10 mm bolt i had in the trunk, hammered it in the roll pin hole, and then just to be double sure, zip tied it in place. you can get creative with what you use, but i wouldnt recommend going far or offroad without one.

a long, thin cotter pin - and frequent visual inspection - might be an option but, I dunno if I could stop worrying about personally!

I dunno if I could stop worrying about personally!

 

+1

 

It would eventually do my head in if I attempted to drive like that! Better to make it right IMO...

It won't prevent you from driving, but it *could* slide off if you had some extreme articulation of the suspension and hyperextension of the axle.

I imagine I'll just drop a cotter pin in it until I get some free time to make it right. I certainly won't make that little mistake again. I just wish I would have caught it before I got everything buttoned back up. Oh well....

I ran my lifted 86 with the pins out before. Once I realized what could happen if the axle slid off the shaft @ high speed, I put the pins in.. Remember the gas tank is directly above your diff..