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axles wont go in

blown66

blown66

Member
Hi there have been trying to put my axles in and the axle bearings go in about 3/16 and that it. If I try to put the 4 nuts on and try to get them to go on more the axle wont turn so I back off. It is a 67 9" open that has had new bearings installed same ring gear and pinion. not sure whats going on..I have the long axle on the passengers side. Thank you for your time.
 
Did you turn them slightly (to feel the splines line up) and give them a tap with a large rubber mallet or hammer with a block of wood against the hub (tap the wood with the hammer). I remember hearing 2 clicks when mine fulley seated.
Jon
 
I don't feel the splines...the axles wont go in far enough to get in to the splines. the yoke does not move when I am pulling it out a little and turning the axle and reinstalling nothing. It does go in some but not getting in to the splines.
 
Do you have them on the right sides? One is shorter than the other. I take it the pumpkin is in also? can't see it in that pic.
Jon
 
yes the pumpkin is in. yes I have them on the right side....I am trying to put the passengers side in first and that is the long side axle.



the yoke turns when the axle is far as it goes in...the axle bearing goes in about 3/16 of the way in and stops. I have tried turning the axle a little bit a a time but it does not get to the splines.. I can feel it go through some but not in to the splines...a friend of mine who is a mechanic rebuilt the 3rd member for me with new bearings and stuff. The yoke turns when the one axle is in as far as I can get it. tried to put the 4 backing nuts on to tighten them down but that locked up the axle. not sure whats going on. have this in the middle of my garage and cant put my 08 stang in the garage at night and that not good lol.... Thank you for your reply's..maybe I should just take the pumpkin back out( not good) and put the axles back in and then re install it.. what a bummer...
 
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Check the splines on the axle, could be buggered. Check inside of housing where the bearing sits, could be buggered. New bearings located properly on the axle? Try the long axle on the short side to see if it engages the gears.
 
From the op, the unstated assumption here is that the axle shafts you are attempting to reinstall are the exact axle shafts that came out of that axle housing. It it possible that they were mixed up at the machine shop where the new bearings were pressed on with a pair that has a different number of splines or different lengths? (For example 31 splines vs 28 splines?) Alternatively, are the new bearings the correct ones and are they fully pressed on?
 
The axle bearing where not changed they are still good no play. these axles are the ones that came out of the housing when I took it apart. The axles are 28 spline. I will try to make a short video and post. I will also take a picture of the splines and post. thank you for your comments.
 
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Hard to diagnose without being there, my next thought was the bearing not being fully seated but you answered that. Can you have your buddy who rebuilt the 3rd member stop by and show him? I'm sure he's seen it all before. Did he rebuild it with 31/28 components? Will either side go in and seat properly?
I take it all of these parts were original short of the new bearings, etc. for the pumpkin rebuild?
Jon
 
JeffTepper said:
From the op, the unstated assumption here is that the axle shafts you are attempting to reinstall are the exact axle shafts that came out of that axle housing. It it possible that they were mixed up at the machine shop where the new bearings were pressed on with a pair that has a different number of splines or different lengths? (For example 31 splines vs 28 splines?) Alternatively, are the new bearings the correct ones and are they fully pressed on?
Click to expand...
Same thinking here.:(
 
If the axles are 28 spline they would be the smallest diameter of all available options so no chance they are "too big" to fit. 31's are larger diameter. Same housing, axles and axle bearings (never removed from the axles, right?) the problem is obviously in the pumpkin (alignment to axles) though I admittedly have no idea what it could be.
 
ok went out and looked! at the match up when putting the axles in. Is there a possibility the I have not gotten the axle seals in far enough. it seems when I slide the axle in the axle bearing collar could be hitting the seal or the housing. I will do further diagnoses and let you all know. thank you for all the replys. If every thing doers check out ok should I re pull the 3rd member and put the axles in the pumpkin and get them to turn the yoke and then re install the 3rd member...
 
Shouldn't be that difficult to measure the depth the seal is recessed in comparison to the space required by the ring and bearing. What you describe certainly sounds like the most plausible explanation.
 
this picture is of the original oil seal that we took out.


front side of old seal




new seal we got from auto zone



boxes the seals came in.



the seals seem to be all the way in. I will do more checking....thank you for your comments.
 
My 9" has "big ford/old style" ends. Here is a shot I took of the newly installed seal. Notice how much it sets back from the bearing recess. I'm guessing yours are not in far enough. There should be a lip they press up against on the inner side. This is to make sure they are seated squarely. Also make sure the seal lip rides on the finished section of the axle. Make sure there is no groove worn into the axle as well and polish if needed. Also lube the seal lip up good so it is not scratched when sliding the axle in. Doesn't take too much to cause a nick and future oil leak.

index.php
 
thank you for your picture....what kinda grease do you use? wow that seal is way in there..when I bought this rear end over 25 years ago I bought it from a junk yard and don't remember what it came out of. I took the old bearing over to the auto store and they gave me those seals for that number that was on the old seal. I have two pictures to show you the first is I took one seal out and the bearing almost is in all the way. How far do the bearing go in any further than that?..the other picture will be of the bearing sticking out with the new oil seal in. I took the short side axle seal out and left the long axle seal in. even with the short axle bearing in that much the yoke still does not turn when turning the axle..should it?.. IT IS A OPEN REAR END.





oil seal is out.


the parts store say that the housing could have came out of a 68 fairlane 9" or some thing...does it look like some thing any of the members here might have dealt with or has seen...thank you very much horseplay for you comments and johnk67 and jeff and b6 wish it was going a little faster..lol...not sure what to do about the oil seals. what you think guys. Is the top seal in as far as they go?
 
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Having repaired an axle leak a couple of years ago, I think that Terry is right, your seal is not fully seated.
However, the difference in seating depth 'shouldn't' be great enough to keep the axle shaft splines from beginning to engage...
I had to do as mentioned and slightly rotate/ wiggle the shaft and convince it to seat with a soft blow hammer....
 
MD69Boss said:
Having repaired an axle leak a couple of years ago, I think that Terry is right, your seal is not fully seated.
However, the difference in seating depth 'shouldn't' be great enough to keep the axle shaft splines from beginning to engage...
I had to do as mentioned and slightly rotate/ wiggle the shaft and convince it to seat with a soft blow hammer....
Click to expand...
Yes I remember tilting the studs end up/down/left/right to find the spline hole.
 
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