Hi there from another new Michigan member,Im also on ssi disability..I never heard of your problem what year is your truck?.Did the salt deteriorate your axles and they rusted out or did they just plain wear out.This is a very uncommon problem.Im a member on another site dedicated to the s10 jimmy and nobody has ever mentioned having that problem.From what I read people either love these trucks or they hate them.I fall in the 2cnd catigory.Ive been through everything this truck can throw at me and its been an on going project for 4 years now.People around here are parting jimmys a dime a dozen so why don't you find a year that has the same exle gear ratio and replace it with used unit.