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Rear axle & third member removal
- Thread starter M66Stang
- Start date
66gt350
Active Member
I'll be doing the same thing hopefully tonight. I recently bought a new 9" pumpkin, and have just finished up with the break-in period, so I need to change gear lube.
If the axles haven't been out in awhile, they may be stuck in there pretty good. I've used a slide hammer to knock 'em loose. To drain the old fluid, I've left a couple of the nuts on the studs to keep the pumpkin from totally coming out until after the gear lube drains.
What weight of gear lube are you planning on putting in?
If the axles haven't been out in awhile, they may be stuck in there pretty good. I've used a slide hammer to knock 'em loose. To drain the old fluid, I've left a couple of the nuts on the studs to keep the pumpkin from totally coming out until after the gear lube drains.
What weight of gear lube are you planning on putting in?
A
Anonymous
Guest
You can also flip the drums and use them as a slide hammer if needed.
2ndgen
Member
"silverblueBP" said:
I use this too... but a word of caution: unless you know with certainty that the shoes are not asbestos based and that the drums, backing plate, and brake hardware has all been cleaned and/or replaced since asbestos was used, you should assume that there will be asbestos dust present. Use a particle mask and gloves for safety - you only get one set of lungs!
After the axles are pulled and you remove all the nuts and those pesky copper washers (which may only be on the lower studs), you will probably find that the third member won't budge. By the way, try to remove and save the axle tag if it is still there...
To remove the third member I often find it necessary to tap it ever so lovingly with a large rubber mallet or shot filled dead blow hammer. To prevent the third member from falling off you can leave a couple nuts threaded on a couple turns.
The remaining gear oil will come out once you crack the seal and make a nice mess. You will most likely end up still having to pull/persuade the third member to come off the studs. You will have gear oil on your hands and the third member is heavy and awkward. I like to jack the axle up far enough to place an old milk crate under the third member to catch it if I slip.
Good luck,
-Rory
P.S. Old gear oil has a unique smell that will stay with you for a while...
AzPete
Well-Known Member
The gears are heavy coming out of the housing.....be ready and then think about a jack of some sort.....
daveSanborn
Active Member
"AzPete" said:
+1
If you haven't been to the gym in a while you'll be reminded VERY quickly just how heavy 80+ pounds is as it falls on your head/chest/arm/shoulder/fingers. Be careful and DO NOT under-estimate the weight of the third member as it seperates from the housing.
Thanks all for the comments and suggestions. Got started with the disassembly tonight. I sucked out most of the gear oil with a cheap disposable HF suction pump, removed the tires and drums. I removed the axle retaining nuts and the passenger side axle slid right out. Probably due to the slight leak it had. The driver's side is a different story. I tried using the drum as slide hammer trick and it didn't budge. The inside of brake backing plate is dry as a bone and the bearing looks pretty rusty around the edges. Do you think it will come out ok? I think I better go to Autozone and see if I can rent a slide hammer to help remove it. I saturated all the third member nuts with penetrating oil for the night and called it an evening.
AzPete
Well-Known Member
Shoot some PB blaster on that rusty bearing. Then try the brake drum one more time after it has soaked.
daveSanborn
Active Member
When using the proper tool.... the slide hammer.... it'll come out just fine.
Going to find a slide hammer tonight and I have a nice transmission jack to use that I borrowed from my dad to help with supporting the third member while removing it. The brakes were redone a few years ago during my original rehab so I hope I don't have to worry about the "A" word.
I'll report back later with more results.
Thanks to all.
I'll report back later with more results.
Thanks to all.
66gt350
Active Member
Mark,
I just went through the same ordeal last night. I bought a new 9" pumpkin and was told to drop the fluid after 750-1000 miles. When I was ready to pull the pumpkin, I left one of the bottom nuts just barely on. So that way I could put a pan under the axle and catch most of the lube. After letting it drain, I wheeled the jack under and slid out the pumpkin. there's still quite a bit of lube in the bottom of the housing and in the pumpkin itself. I put a chunk of cardboard down, so I wouldn't have to clean the concrete. But, I grabbed a piece that had a hole in it... One of these days when I'm ambitious, I'm gonna drill and tap a hole in the bottom of housing, to drain out the lube.
I pumped in a little under 3 quarts of lube before it started weeping out.
I just went through the same ordeal last night. I bought a new 9" pumpkin and was told to drop the fluid after 750-1000 miles. When I was ready to pull the pumpkin, I left one of the bottom nuts just barely on. So that way I could put a pan under the axle and catch most of the lube. After letting it drain, I wheeled the jack under and slid out the pumpkin. there's still quite a bit of lube in the bottom of the housing and in the pumpkin itself. I put a chunk of cardboard down, so I wouldn't have to clean the concrete. But, I grabbed a piece that had a hole in it... One of these days when I'm ambitious, I'm gonna drill and tap a hole in the bottom of housing, to drain out the lube.
I pumped in a little under 3 quarts of lube before it started weeping out.
A
Anonymous
Guest
"66gt350" said:
That is exactly what I did with my 9" rear housing, it sure is nice when changing gears!
When removing the old seals and if you have both axles and the pumpkin out is to come back with a long pipe (such as 1-1/2" or 2" galvanized) or something similar and stick it into one end running it all the way until it touches the back of the old seal on the opposite end. Then just tap the pipe with a hammer as you rotate the pipe around the seal.
When installing the new seals, get a small piece of galvanized pipe which is just a tad smaller than the diameter of the seal. Insert the seal then the pipe piece. With your hammer just lightly tap the pipe's edge. Around and around you go until the seal sits into place. Be sure they are fully seated otherwise the axles will not seat into place.
When installing the new seals, get a small piece of galvanized pipe which is just a tad smaller than the diameter of the seal. Insert the seal then the pipe piece. With your hammer just lightly tap the pipe's edge. Around and around you go until the seal sits into place. Be sure they are fully seated otherwise the axles will not seat into place.