Yukon Gear 1541H Alloy Rear Axle For 8.2in and 8.5in GM Passenger

Shopping for a rear axle shaft for a GM rear-drive car with the 10-bolt rear end, either the 8.2 inch or the 8.5 inch? Owners of Chevelles, Camaros and other GM passenger cars usually land here after a shaft snaps at the drag strip, the splines twist out after a power-adder goes on, or the bearing journal wears into a groove that eats axle seals. Yukon YA G1255804-SH is a new 1541H alloy shaft with 28 splines, an overall length of 31-3/8 inches and a 2.780 inch brake pilot, built as a stronger-than-stock replacement for those cars.

What the axle shaft does in a GM 10-bolt car rear

The GM passenger 10-bolt is a C-clip, semi-float design. The inner end of the shaft slides into a side gear in the carrier and is locked there by a small C-shaped clip that sits in a groove on the shaft tip. The pinion cross shaft in the middle of the carrier keeps the shafts from sliding inward far enough for the clips to fall out. Out at the wheel, the shaft rides directly on a roller bearing pressed into the axle tube, and the wheel and brake drum or rotor bolt to the shaft flange. So this one piece of steel carries engine torque, holds up the weight of that corner of the car, and doubles as the inner race of the wheel bearing.

Symptoms of a worn or broken 10-bolt shaft

• The car will not move with an open differential even though the driveshaft turns: a broken shaft or stripped splines.
• The wheel and shaft move in and out of the housing when you push and pull on the tire, or the shaft walks outward: a broken C-clip or a pinion cross shaft that has backed out. A cross shaft lock bolt that snaps lets the cross shaft wander into the ring gear, which can crack the carrier.
• Gear oil on the brakes or the inside of the wheel, with seals that keep leaking after replacement: the seal lip is riding on a worn shaft.
• A growl or hum from one rear corner that rises with road speed, from a pitted journal where the bearing rollers run.
• A wheel or drum that wobbles even after new wheels, from a bent flange.

Many of these cars predate OBD-II, and even on later ones a bad shaft does not set a trouble code. You find this failure with a jack and a drain pan.

How to confirm it before you buy

Raise the rear, pull the wheel and drum or caliper, and check the flange with a dial indicator. Then drain the oil, take the cover off and remove the cross shaft lock bolt and cross shaft. Push the shaft inward, pick out the C-clip and slide the shaft out. Look at the splines for twisting and at the bearing journal under good light; a groove you can catch with a fingernail means the shaft is done. While the cover is off, inspect the ring and pinion teeth, because chipped teeth or a cracked carrier change the job. If you are refreshing the whole axle at the same time, the Yukon 3.08 gear set for the GM 8.5 and 8.6 fits 8.5 inch cars; it does not fit an 8.2.

Fitment

Yukon lists this shaft for GM 8.2 and 8.5 inch passenger car rear ends. It is 28 spline, 31-3/8 inches long, with a 2.780 inch brake pilot. GM built many rear-drive cars over a long span and lengths, spline counts and brake setups vary between them, so do not order on the car name alone. First confirm the cover has 10 bolts; if it has 12, you have the other GM rear and need parts such as the GM 12-bolt master overhaul kit and 12-bolt Dura Grip instead. Then measure your old shaft the way Yukon specifies for a C-clip axle, from the inner end of the shaft to the outer edge of the mounting flange, count the splines, and check that your drum or rotor centers on a 2.780 inch pilot. If anything does not match, send us your year, model and the measurements before ordering.

Install notes

• Put a new wheel bearing and seal in the tube. On a C-clip axle the rollers run directly on the shaft, so an old bearing will chew up a brand-new journal.
• Slide the new shaft in, install the C-clip, pull the shaft outward to seat it, then refit the cross shaft with a new lock bolt and thread locker.
• Seal the cover with RTV or a reusable gasket; a Yukon steel cover kit is listed for the GM 8.2 and 8.6.
• Fill to the bottom of the fill hole with 75W-90 gear oil. If the car has a clutch-type posi, add limited slip friction modifier.
• Drive gently for the first few miles and check the seal and cover for seepage.

Will this shaft fit a GM 12-bolt?

No. YA G1255804-SH is for the GM 8.2 and 8.5 inch 10-bolt passenger car rear. Count the bolts on your differential cover; 12 bolts means a different axle family with different shafts.

How many splines does it have and how long is it?

28 splines and 31-3/8 inches overall. Measure your old shaft from the inner end to the outer edge of the flange to compare, and count its splines before ordering.

Do I need a new wheel bearing with it?

Yes, plan on it. On a C-clip 10-bolt the bearing rollers ride directly on the axle shaft, so a worn bearing will damage the new journal. Replace the bearing and seal in the housing at the same time.

Will it work with my disc brake conversion?

The shaft has a 2.780 inch brake pilot. Check that your rotor or drum center bore matches that pilot and that the bracket kit is meant for a 10-bolt C-clip axle.

What gear oil goes back in?

75W-90 gear oil filled to the bottom of the fill hole. Add friction modifier only if the carrier is a clutch-type limited slip.