HELP needed! 1971 Front Axle tube bronze bushing

[navyaircrew]

I’m in a serious pickle. I have a 1971 FJ40 front axle that I did a disc brake conversion on in 1999. I’m rebuilding the front axle now. I bought a new bronze bushing and (although it slipped over the axle shaft prior to inserting the axle and before I pressed fit the new bushing in the axle tube). I did not realize how tight this damm thing would end up. I’m chugging along just trying to do my best at fixing and replacing everything. So don’t beat me up.

The old bronze bushing got tore up from a broken upper knuckle bearing that broke apart and chunked up inside the bell housing. I managed to pull out the old. Put the new bushing in. But had no idea I was supposed to hone out this bushing. I went to insert the axle shaft back in after I rebuilt the knuckle with new bearings. And it was a pita to go back in cause 1. My disc brake conversion I had to grind shave off some of the birfield flat spot to get it to go in wayyyy back then. It all worked before. So it was a little tight going back in. Once it finally slipped into the Detroit ez locker , I was like oh crap. Now the axle won’t spin freely at all. It’s tight as can be. I pulled the drivers side axle out and I can visually see the pass axle inserted into the diff. I even mounted the spindle and rotor just so I could mount the tire and I can get the tire to spin, it’s difficult but it spins the diff with the locking hub engaged.

So NOW IM TRYING to get the axle back out. I am at my Witt’s end. Need help removing this pass side axle. It is stuck. I can’t pull it out. Any help is greatly appreciate.

 

[pb4ugo]

Did that axle housing originally have ball and claw axles in it? Later drum brake housings have a seal in that location.

 

[charliemeyer007]

What is the ID of both bushings?

 

[navyaircrew]

Did that axle housing originally have ball and claw axles in it? Later drum brake housings have a seal in that location.

Built this in 99’ so…. Yes I have pictures and remember I originally had drum brakes. And yes I had a ball and claw axle. However it always had a bronze bushing. I’m pretty sure I didn’t swap the axle out just to get a housing. Ryan Bascom and I set this up in Virginia long ago. If it had a bronze bushing originally which I showed a picture of, I replaced the bronze bushing with a new one. It fit perfectly. I just didn’t know I was supposed to hone the bushing. So now I’m trying to get the axle out. Have you worked on one of these before?

 

[navyaircrew]

What is the ID of both bushings?

Well. It’s the correct part. Bought it from spectre offroad a month or so ago. There’s a left one and a right one. I can measure the old one. But the new i could find on the box via internet search I guess. Like I mentioned. The bushing slipped over the axle shaft before I installed it in the axle tube. So thought it fit. I didn’t know how damm snug it would make it. Just need ideas HOW to remove the axle now

 

[navyaircrew]

What is the ID of both bushings?

Here’s the box the passenger side bearing came in

 

[Malleus]

How did it go in if you can't get it out? There's no reason for the bushing to swell once the shaft is in it.

 

[pb4ugo]

No, I've never messed with ball and claw. All the threads I've read, folks have had major problems converting ball snd claw to later model disc brakes. Most were unsuccessful because of that bushing. So much so, that everybody says you need to use a later model housings.

 

[aztoyman]

If you can get the differential cross pin out of the way, you could push it out from the opposite side with a rod or bar.

Can you get some lube/oil on the bushing as you turn it and slowly work it out?

 

[pb4ugo]

The disc birfield has a threaded hole on the end. You could carefully try a slide hammer. You might separate the birf from the inner axle though.

 

[Rock40]

This is an odd problem. It doesn’t make sense that the axle shaft is stuck on that bushing.

I’d also try the slide hammer using the threaded holes in the birf as mentioned above. My guess is the shaft is bound up with several thousandths tolerance fit on the bushing but if it went in, it’ll come out. It generally takes quite a bit of force to break the c-clip which holds the birfield to the inner shaft, I suspect it’ll come out of the snug bushing before the c-clip separates

 

[navyaircrew]

How did it go in if you can't get it out? There's no reason for the bushing to swell once the shaft is in it.

We are wondering the same thing.

 

[KLF]

How did it go in if you can't get it out? There's no reason for the bushing to swell once the shaft is in it.

This happens all the time in woodworking, as I learned the hard way. You can tap that dowel into that drilled hole, but sometimes the only way to get it back out is to snap it off and drill it out. Can't do that here...

There's no cover to remove on the front axle, so you can't get the cross pin out of the diff.

Your gonna have to slide hammer that thing back out. You can borrow one from most parts stores, while you're there get a brake cylinder hone.

 

[Shark56]

Is it possible the axle housing is bent?

 

[rlong]

These are a PIA.. It is common that people need to hone the interior of the bushing after pressing in (I did mine so many years ago I can't remember, but think I just sanded with sandpaper and my fingers.. I was young and there was no internet.. before even the LCML.. )

"It doesn’t make sense that the axle shaft is stuck on that bushing." I agree.. my theory is the bushing is ever so slightly "not square" and one can slip the axle in out of square... then "square it up" in the diff and , well.. "U F'd".

Probably as already suggested you should be able to: "differential cross pin out of the way, you could push it out from the opposite side with a rod or bar.." (I am assuming you can get the C clip off...

Good luck... this job should come with a BIG warning!

 

[pb4ugo]

These are a PIA.. It is common that people need to hone the interior of the bushing after pressing in (I did mine so many years ago I can't remember, but think I just sanded with sandpaper and my fingers.. I was young and there was no internet.. before even the LCML.. )

"It doesn’t make sense that the axle shaft is stuck on that bushing." I agree.. my theory is the bushing is ever so slightly "not square" and one can slip the axle in out of square... then "square it up" in the diff and , well.. "U F'd".

Probably as already suggested you should be able to: "differential cross pin out of the way, you could push it out from the opposite side with a rod or bar.." (I am assuming you can get the C clip off...

Good luck... this job should come with a BIG warning!

The front end is full float, so no C clips. There is no front cover to remove so you can't remove the center pin.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Try rotating the axle as you pull, have someone thump on the housing with a big mallet(air hammer) at the same time as you are pulling - the vibration might help it wiggle out.

 

[Malleus]

Slide hammer

 

[navyaircrew]

Welp. Like I said. I needed help. A friend came over. We tried an air hammer trying to other the diff to push axle out. Nope. Cause what you see is the Detroit ez locker end cap. He used two pry bars once I took the knuckle completely apart removed upped n lower bearings. And those holes allows access to pry out the axle. What a f ordeal that was

 

[Malleus]

And you were able to save the axle housing?