How to Find Out What Rear End My Peterbilt Has
by Jeff Woodward
Peterbilt manufactures class eight vehicles. A "rear end" is a common term used by truck drivers and mechanics to mean a rear axle and differential. Peterbilt trucks are built using parts from a variety of vendors and the axles are no exception. Determining what brand axle a Peterbilt was built with will help the owner in determining part identification for repairs.
Step 1
Crawl under the forward-rear axle of the truck using the creeper. Position yourself under the passenger side axle shaft.
Step 2
Spray brake cleaner onto the shaft to loosen dirt and grease. Wipe the axle shaft clean with a shop towel or old rag.
Step 3
Locate the numbers that are stamped into the metal on the rear side of the axle shaft. Write the axle specification number on a piece of paper.
Step 4
Position the creeper underneath the left side of the forward-rear axle.
Step 5
Spray brake cleaner onto the axle-shaft and wipe clean with a shop towel or old rag.
Step 6
Locate the identification tag on the forward side of the axle-shaft. Write the identification number on a piece of paper.
Step 7
Position yourself over the differential on the forward-rear axle by leaning over the frame.
Step 8
Spray brake cleaner onto the top of the differential housing. Wipe clean with a shop towel or old rag.
Step 9
Locate the differential identification numbers which are either on a metallic tag or stamped on the top of the housing. Write the numbers down on a piece of paper.
Step 10
Repeat the steps on the rear-rear axle if necessary.
References
Things You'll Need
- Flashlight
- Brake cleaner
- Shop towel or old rag
- Creeper
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
Writer Bio
Jeff Woodward has been writing since 2007, mostly for "Macabre Cadaver" Magazine, conducting interviews and movie and music reviews. Demand Studios has allowed Woodward to enter the nonfiction article writing market. Woodward's experiences as a parts manager in the trucking industry allow him to write articles for eHow.
