rear axle service photos

[clownmidget]

these are primarily for Romer or anyone that would like to include any of these photos for the FAQ stuff.

I had my rear third removed to re-gear and took the opportunity to rebuild the rear axle, put in some new brake pads, adjust the parking brake, and put new u-joints in the rear driveshaft.

enjoy

top: the parts and numbers from Dan

middle: wheel off, ready to remove caliper - two 17-mm bolts on the back side, the lower one a tight fit for a socket due to the lower shock mount.

bottom: caliper off, sitting on top of axle housing. Should be secured with wire to ensure no stretching of the brake hose.

[clownmidget]

Top: Two bolts to pop off the rotor. Note to the newbie - you can't have your parking brake on and remove the rotor

Middle: brass hammer to strike the hub body to loosen the cone washers.

Bottom: success! I noticed that the ones on the bottom tended to loosen from striking the top.

[clownmidget]

Top: all cone washers removed and axle loose, ready to be pulled out.

Middle: using an impact driver to loosen the spindle nut lock screws

Bottom: loosening the lock nut, I used the OTC SST.

[clownmidget]

top: behind the lock ring is the thrust washer with the notch that sits in the groove on the top of the spindle.

middle: popping out the axle oil seal that sits inside of the spindle.

bottom: spindle cleaned and ready to start rebuild

[clownmidget]

top: with the hub body off the spindle you can remove the bearings. to do the inners, you'll need to remove the inner seal.

middle: once the bearings are out you can drive out the races using a brass drift placed in the two opposing notches in the hub housing.

bottom: this is pretty much out of place but once you've got it all buttoned back up this is how I prep the rear caliper for the new pads.

[clownmidget]

Once the bearings and races are out, it's no big deal from here to just clean everything up, drive in the new races, pack the new bearings with grease, and re-assemble using the new parts.

Started the replacement of the u-joints on the rear driveshaft. I had the rear drive shaft off already in order to have the rear third setup with the new gears.

top: oem u-joint from Dan these are worth it in my opinion. the quality is just better and the cups are pre-packed w/grease.

middle: start by removing the c-clips that sit on the inboard of the yokes. I use a mid-sized flat screwdrive that works great. One or two whacks and it lifts it just enough to insert the tip and flick it off.

bottom: gap to start flicking

[clownmidget]

Once you have all four clips removed you can press out the cups. You can use a vise or just use your floor and a 5-lb sledge :hillbilly

top: pressing out the cups. Bottom is 32-mm socket (from the s/c crank pulley) and top is a 7/8".

middle: cups pressed out about half way

bottom: another angle

the idea is to press out the bottom one just enough to pull it out with some visegrips and not pushing out the top one all the way. It's no big deal if you do push out the top one all the way into the center of the yoke because you can just start it back in and drive it through, just a little more time and effort.

[clownmidget]

top: bottom cup has been pressed out, now flip and drive out the opposing cup. I used a big drift.

middle: driving out opposing cup

bottom: flange yoke portion. I remove the shaft cups first so it's easier to manage the flange yoke portion.

[clownmidget]

top: removing the cups on the flange yoke.

bottom: all the new parts

Install is pretty straight forward. Just be sure to orient the spider so you can reach the grease fitting once it's assembled. Again, I start on the flange yoke by placing the spider in the yoke, then start the cups on each side. The same sockets let you press in the cups flush so the grooves for the c-clips are now visible on the inboard edge. Tap in the c-clips and you're done. Be sure to add grease once the shaft is back in place.

[Romer]

Excellent write-up and now part of the FAQ. That's a perfect FAQ type thread. Thanks for contributing.

Ken

[semlin]

great photos/write up -- a question and a comment

first - am i correct that the inner and outer oil seals on the rear are the same p/n's as the front oil seals? I ordered a rear repack kit a while back and I wondered why I had extras of the big ones at hand when I did my friend's front wheel bearings?

second -- if this is to be a faq you might want to mention popping off the brake fluid reservoir lid before compressing the rear caliper like that.

oh and definitely get toyota u-joints. my aftermarkets lasted only 18 months.

[clownmidget]

Hey Romer/Semlin, thanks and yeah, it should be clearly noted that I did not do a "complete" write-up!

Definitely pop the cap for any brake work!

A FSM or a Haynes at least should be on hand before proceeding.

The front and rear seals are different. I'm not certain if you are asking about the small axle seals or the larger "oil" seals (as the FSM calls them) that are on the back of the hub holding the inner wheel bearings in place but they are all different. The big seals are almost identical though with the only difference that is apparent being a raised lip on the rear set that is not on the fronts. They are the same diameter, etc though.

One section that I did not write about that requires the manual is re-installing the lock nut to the correct torque AND then lining up the hash marks on the lock nut pins to the hashes cut into the end of the spindle allowing you to sink the lock screws completely into the thrust washer in two of the threaded holes 180-deg apart. Bottom line, get a manual it makes lifer so much easier.

[MoGas]

Very nice write up.
The only thing that I would do differently is to use the bleed screw to relieve the brake fluid when compressing the caliper. The fluid does not circulate through the brake system, it just moves back and forth a few inches, so the fluid in the caliper has been heated and is generally pretty nasty looking and I personally, don't like the idea of forcing "dirty" fluid backwards through the system and causing potential ABS issues. You may introduce a small amount of air into the caliper this way, but, after any brake job you should bleed the brakes out anyway.




Dave

[apcoleman]

Thanks for all of the pictures. I plan on getting this done once it warms up in the spring.

[concretejungle]

Great pics clown. Funny you posted those because i tried to replace the ujoints in my rear driveshaft this past weekend. I had no problems removing the c-clips, but i hammered and hammered and couldn't get the joint hammered out enough to get the cap off. :(

[desertdude]

Awesome and timely write up Mike - I am about to do this in a few days and have collected all the new parts from Slee - including the U-joints - How did you know?

One question ; is there anything else special that needs to be done to the lock ring once you reinstall? Any special preload?

[Rookie2]

Originally Posted by desertdude

One question ; is there anything else special that needs to be done to the lock ring once you reinstall? Any special preload?

Yep. It's all nicely spelled out in the FSM.

[desertdude]

ah yeah ...I have tha manual and have the info - but thought it was good to post it here - and there is also screws on the lock ring - nice to include that too for folks who don't know

[snowwolf]

Just like to add, it's far easier to use the socket/box spanner idea like you have done, but use a vice instead of the hammer, it's a more gentle and more forcefull, just like to say the photo's were great and will use your imput

[Tapage]

when you readjust and tight the hub nuts .. you measure teh torque or just at your felling .. ?

[concretejungle]

Originally Posted by snowwolf

Just like to add, it's far easier to use the socket/box spanner idea like you have done, but use a vice instead of the hammer, it's a more gentle and more forcefull, just like to say the photo's were great and will use your imput

Holy crap, i just pictured in my mind what you are describing and it does sound like the way to go. I'll give that a shot this time through.

[Skillet]

Good stuff!

Very nice write-up.

I will be doing this soon myself and will use this as a guide.

Thank you!

[Echo_29]

Nice write-up Mike--how long did this all take?

[spartan]

Did you use bolts to pull rotor and drive shaft or did they come right off / out?

TX

[clownmidget]

Dave, you're spot on. In fact I'd say that anytime you start to tear apart your actual "focused" repair you have on hand any "complimentary" parts that might come into play once you've committed your labor. In this case, I hadn't anticipated replacing the rear disc brake pads, breaking off a lug or futzing around with the emiergency brake. But once you get in there, you notice your pads are too thin to bother putting back in, you break a lug off and you remember how crappy the e-brake is fxning. Luckily I had the rear pads around, had plenty of extra lugs and lug nuts (DO THIS NOW!- not when you really, really need one in a pickle), and luckily the e-brake pads were in great shape.

I will be flushing out the brake fluid too though as it's just good to do and costs under $10 even using synthetic.

Thanks for the reminder

Originally Posted by MoGas

Very nice write up.
The only thing that I would do differently is to use the bleed screw to relieve the brake fluid when compressing the caliper. The fluid does not circulate through the brake system, it just moves back and forth a few inches, so the fluid in the caliper has been heated and is generally pretty nasty looking and I personally, don't like the idea of forcing "dirty" fluid backwards through the system and causing potential ABS issues. You may introduce a small amount of air into the caliper this way, but, after any brake job you should bleed the brakes out anyway.




Dave

[clownmidget]

dude, yeah it's in the FSM and I didnt' want to completely plagarize it

I tried to touch on it above about lining up the lock nut/ring hash marks with those on the spindle so the screws will seat into the thrust washer. And Beno & Co. thread already showed the pre-load fish scale test and gives the proper torque. It's all good though...

Originally Posted by desertdude

ah yeah ...I have tha manual and have the info - but thought it was good to post it here - and there is also screws on the lock ring - nice to include that too for folks who don't know

[clownmidget]

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