Axle Housing Damage? (1 Viewer)

[revelario]

Hey guys,

Started the front axle rebuild last week (thanks to Cruiser Outfitters for working during this shutdown). Birfs look thrashed so I got some new ones along with a rebuild kit. After I disassembled everything I noticed the inside of the DS axle housing where the birf goes, looked like it was damaged (pics attached). I’m wondering if anybody’s ever seen this kind of damage and whether you guys think it will be a major issue once I button everything up. When I pulled everything apart it was almost bone dry, just some diff lube, but hardly any grease. Also found some metal shavings on the ABS sensor.

Reason I’m doing the axle rebuild is I just bought the truck in December (a ‘94, got it for cheap) and was getting some intermittent noise, a low pitch, loud, rotational noise that would stop if I hit the brakes and/or punched on the gas real quick. Sometimes pulled to the left, sometimes didn’t. There was grease/oil on the outside of the wheel hub.

 

[BILT4ME]

1) grinding marks on the birf shaft indicates MASSIVELY loose wheel bearings for a long time, OR a fail on the lower front steering arm nuts, with it pinching the axle hard.

2) There are random grinder marks on the outside of the axle shaft, near the sealing area. Need a better pic of that.

3) Was there a seal in the end of the axle housing? There was supposed to be.

4) The grinding marks inside the knuckle housing are a result of loose wheel bearings / steering arm failure.

5) How does the inside of the spindle look for both the inner side with the bronze bushing as well as the outer end where it is threaded? Is either end ground out or egg-shaped?

 

[Rock40]

I don't think those are grinder marks......looks like the shaft is flopping all over inside the spindle which in turn is just gouging the hell out of it. How are the spindle bushings? Probably totally shot. And the heat signature further up the shaft? OMG. The birf isn't re-usable, put it straight up on the wall of shame.

 

[Rock40]

Oh wait. I see the grinding/polishing marks, further in on the shaft toward the knuckle. Awful. I'd be concerned that if the shaft is moving that much you may have some damaged front differential parts also/metal intrusion.

 

[revelario]

1) grinding marks on the birf shaft indicates MASSIVELY loose wheel bearings for a long time, OR a fail on the lower front steering arm nuts, with it pinching the axle hard.

2) There are random grinder marks on the outside of the axle shaft, near the sealing area. Need a better pic of that.

3) Was there a seal in the end of the axle housing? There was supposed to be.

4) The grinding marks inside the knuckle housing are a result of loose wheel bearings / steering arm failure.

5) How does the inside of the spindle look for both the inner side with the bronze bushing as well as the outer end where it is threaded? Is either end ground out or egg-shaped?

1) I got new bearings and birf so I'm hoping that takes care of the bearing issue it probably had.
2) If the cause of the grind marks isn't the birf and other metal flying around in there, I'm thinking that at the very least it might have to do with previous maintenance- the marks around the oil seal especially are around the size of a large flat head screwdriver. And the burrs and chips near the upper race are also suspiciously where a drift or punch would go.
3) There was a seal at the end of the housing, I removed it (with a seal puller) a few minutes before the pics were taken.
4) Should I just polish down the grind zones with an emory cloth? That was my Plan A, try to polish down any burrs.
5) Here's a pic of the back of the spindle I have. I'll have to go downstairs and check the rest of it. Either way, I ordered new ones from Cruiser Outfitters so I'll be replacing them.

 

[revelario]

I don't think those are grinder marks......looks like the shaft is flopping all over inside the spindle which in turn is just gouging the hell out of it. How are the spindle bushings? Probably totally shot. And the heat signature further up the shaft? OMG. The birf isn't re-usable, put it straight up on the wall of shame.

Old birfs are definitely going somewhere that is not back in my vehicle. I haven't taken a closer look at the spindle bushings but I did order new spindles on a suspicion that it could have been a spindle failure (and the fact that I have the time right now to get dirty and just replace a bunch of stuff). Still waiting on those to get delivered.

 

[revelario]

Oh wait. I see the grinding/polishing marks, further in on the shaft toward the knuckle. Awful. I'd be concerned that if the shaft is moving that much you may have some damaged front differential parts also/metal intrusion.

I'm hoping there's no differential damage. It was driving mostly fine (for a old truck) but checking the diff is definitely on the list as a next step. So I'll be spending some time scouring the threads for that, unless you guys can kindly point me to some helpful starter ones take a look at first.

 

[BILT4ME]

1) I got new bearings and birf so I'm hoping that takes care of the bearing issue it probably had.
2) If the cause of the grind marks isn't the birf and other metal flying around in there, I'm thinking that at the very least it might have to do with previous maintenance- the marks around the oil seal especially are around the size of a large flat head screwdriver. And the burrs and chips near the upper race are also suspiciously where a drift or punch would go.
3) There was a seal at the end of the housing, I removed it (with a seal puller) a few minutes before the pics were taken.
4) Should I just polish down the grind zones with an emory cloth? That was my Plan A, try to polish down any burrs.
5) Here's a pic of the back of the spindle I have. I'll have to go downstairs and check the rest of it. Either way, I ordered new ones from Cruiser Outfitters so I'll be replacing them.

View attachment 2258513

The bronze bushing in that pic has been replaced and is still in great shape. Probably replaced due to the previous damage. There is always that chance that a PO has done some serious issue stuff on the truck.

Doesn't really look like there was Moly Grease in that birfield area though. Looks like it was swimming in gear oil, unless you did a great job of cleanup before the photos.

 

[revelario]

The bronze bushing in that pic has been replaced and is still in great shape. Probably replaced due to the previous damage. There is always that chance that a PO has done some serious issue stuff on the truck.

Doesn't really look like there was Moly Grease in that birfield area though. Looks like it was swimming in gear oil, unless you did a great job of cleanup before the photos.

It was almost bone dry, no moly in the birfield area, just kinda dark green oil. Although I did take some rags to the inside to inspect it better. Who knows how long the PO drove it around like this, or knew about it and didn't fix it. He told me when I bought it that it needed "a new hub" so I talked his price down.

 

[too tall]

It looks to me like the po broke the stub shaft and welded it back together then ground smooth and reinstalled it. Not something I would do, but old school guys used to think welding axleshafts together was an ok thing to do . Take a picture of just the old birfield and post it up. All of the marks inside the ball would indicate that there was a failure more serious than wheel bearings or trunion bearings. That might explain why the "new hub" (drive flange) was needed.

 

[TomH]

Here's what mine looked like after steering arm bolts coming loose. Still working 13 years later.

Knuckle Arm Studs

Well, looks like I joined the broken/missing knuckle arm stud club. Hopped in the LC after work to take the wife to the doctor and immediately noticed a lack of steering. Went about three blocks to a parking lot and had a look. One stud missing, one stud broken and two hanging by less than a...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[revelario]

Here's what mine looked like after steering arm bolts coming loose. Still working 13 years later.

Knuckle Arm Studs

Well, looks like I joined the broken/missing knuckle arm stud club. Hopped in the LC after work to take the wife to the doctor and immediately noticed a lack of steering. Went about three blocks to a parking lot and had a look. One stud missing, one stud broken and two hanging by less than a...

forum.ih8mud.com

View attachment 2258807

Still waiting for the rest of the parts to get here but it helps me to sleep better knowing that you have similar damage to yours and it’s running fine 13 years later. Thanks a bunch for sharing this pic!

 

[revelario]

Just wanted to report to anybody reading this thread that I finished up the axle rebuild (not without a lot of cursing, of course) and the Cruiser is running way better than it did when i bought it. I replaced everything (axles, birfs, bearings, hubs, rotors, brakes). If anybody hears a crazy loud scary moaning rotational noise that seems to go away when you hit the brakes hard or accelerate, I highly recommend you check the bearings and axle housing! Seemed to fix my issues.