PS... what's shot about the gears? did he grenade them? gears don't typically "wear out" if installed correctly... if there is indeed failure, its usually pretty catostraphic.

I've heard of a few of the GM 10-bolts that just seem to eat their spider and side gears. It causes great havoc and is almost impossible to correct without a full rebuild, which is much more $$ than that axle is worth. Finding another is a good route of action.

Michael