My First Axle Rebuild

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Lock Ring pliers from Sears: $15
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Brass drift set from Harbor Freight: $9
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OTC Tie rod puller from cartools.com: $43
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Having the right tools for the job: PRICELESS
 
You don't actually need to remove the tie rod when you do this job. You can shortcut it by just pulling the top spindle out and having it rest on your leaf spring. You'll see... I suppose if it's hard to pull that spindle vertically up you may need to remove it, but it shouldn't be required. Just keep going... you're getting there...

The tie rod should be pulled if you want 100% accurate fish scale measurements (this is the FSM method), but if you're not changing the shims, you should be basically fine.
 
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You know.. if I ever get through this thing,.. and I will.. I want to have a big party for you guys with several kegs.... and plenty of hot grilled food.

I have to break the news to my brother first... (that's where my LC is in his garage.) Of course the party is at his house.

He's a good guy. He'll get over it.

Will post with my (limited) progress tomorrow.
 
Sounds like a plan on the party....

Your homework for tomorrow is a fishscale, the tubs of grease and -- foremost -- a flare nut wrench so you don't totally tweak that brake line nut. Get those and you'll be set... you're almost on the home stretch (putting everything back together).

I think the garage is slowing you down, though. If you do this on a wet cold driveway in the middle of the night, you're a bit more motivated to get it done quickly!

Keep us posted....
 
Holy Crap.. That was scary.. the site goes down for a few hours and nothing gets done..

My progress for today was good..(for me)

I suffered the trials of seperating my backing plate from my brake line. I finally loosened the nut that is attached to the rubber (?) line and I turned and turned that bad boy but could NOT get it off of the thread to the backing plate. I turned and turned but the thing just coiled up on me. I wanted to scream.

I labored over this for an hour. After wondering so many times how I was duped into doing this job myself I grabbed the backing plate (in anger) and slipped it over the axle.

I moved on

So my teardown is through...

My parts don't look so worn.. There was no grease in there at all really.. I wonder if this is because there was so much axle oil there at one time.

Also.. when I took off my hub nut the other night... i noticed it was really loose..maybe it wasn't properly torqued on..

I still wonder how I will ever get all this crap put back together. I've never even done a freakin tuneup and I have my axle components all apart out over my brothers garage floor.

I am so screwed.
 
Do the snap ring pliers need to be intewrnal or external? I am making my christmas list. Any other tools I might need?

I saw HF also has the pliers and nthey are cheaper?
 
Dang, I thought this was a tie rod puller. :D
 
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regarding the snap ring pliers..

I just bought what sears has.. with several different tips.

Doesnt matter what you get. You're gonna get aggravated anyway,.. but it's better than using 2 screw drivers.
 
89s rule said:
Do the snap ring pliers need to be internal or external?
Click to expand...

The pliers you're referring to, with the pins, are for snap rings that have little holes in them. Those pliers won't help with your c-clips because they don't have holes, the ends of the c-clips are sort of ground into a point. The pliers you want have little perpendicular ears at the tips. They only ones I've seen are the S&K.
 
Hmmm..

so that was the problem..

no holes in the snap ring.

Bastards.

You'd think they could have engineered that just a little better instead of watching us get aggravated.

Guess I'll get over it.
 
IH8Wood said:
The pliers you're referring to, with the pins, are for snap rings that have little holes in them. Those pliers won't help with your c-clips because they don't have holes, the ends of the c-clips are sort of ground into a point. The pliers you want have little perpendicular ears at the tips. They only ones I've seen are the S&K.
Click to expand...


You have a link for the ones on S&K?
 
I'm Next

I hope that you guys keep this kind of motivation and advice going when I do mine. I should be tackling this project within the month, I'm in the process of collecting the right tools for the job. If you had to pick a vendor to order a kit from which vendor would it be, i.e. SOR, Cool Cruiser of Texas. I guess the only thing that has confused me from the beginging is the Fish scale not sure how that plays into the project, but then again I have not started either.
 
jmkfj60 said:
I hope that you guys keep this kind of motivation and advice going when I do mine. I should be tackling this project within the month, I'm in the process of collecting the right tools for the job. If you had to pick a vendor to order a kit from which vendor would it be, i.e. SOR, Cool Cruiser of Texas. I guess the only thing that has confused me from the beginging is the Fish scale not sure how that plays into the project, but then again I have not started either.
Click to expand...

Either get OEM from Cruiserdan, or order a kit from Mudrak. Mudrak is local, and is a great resource if you ever need anything.
 
Thanks I will check into that.
 
Obviously I am taking my time with this whole thing. Last thing I want to do is eff it up.. I am putting stuff back together tonight after work..

That little oil seal is a real bitch to get out. You HAVE to have a good seal puller for that one.

About the Fishscale....I have a secret ....

shhhhhhhhh..

I don't know what it's for either... (maybe i'd better get one at lunch just incase it is really needed)
 
I have the old spring loaded fish scale that I use but I noticed
Wal Mart had a cool digital one for under $20 the other night.
if ya need one!
 
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