Newb attempt at dropping the ENTIRE rear axle assembly (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

lp2k

Had a couple of drinks.. saw a couple of things
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Threads
80
Messages
1,704
Location
Gotha, Florida (near the dog)
Hey guys- I’m humming along and got hit with a bit of a puzzle. So I need to remove my entire rear axle off of my rig for some R&R.

The question is on the brake line which is attached to a brake panel plate? I’m sure I screwed up the name but I’m attaching pictures on how to proceed. I need to emphasize, I really do not want to remove the brake caliper and draining the fluid.

Im guessing I have to remove the entire parking brake assembly to remove the part that holds the line? Thanks in advance.

1E84F107-1F9D-4FD5-8E8E-11305F19B59A.jpeg


6C125DD3-DBF2-4A2D-949A-B70A8E100141.jpeg
 
No, you can just undo the rubber line from the steel hard line then remove the clip holding the flex line to the backing plate. If you use a vacuum cap on the steel line it should keep all the fluid in the line or the caliper. You can also clamp off the fluid in the rubber line with vice grips if you like.
 
No, you can just undo the rubber line from the steel hard line then remove the clip holding the flex line to the backing plate. If you use a vacuum cap on the steel line it should keep all the fluid in the line or the caliper. You can also clamp off the fluid in the rubber line with vice grips if you like.
There’s no reason to do that actually. None of that needs to be done to remove the axle from under the truck.

OP, leave that stuff together and undo the flex line that goes from the frame to the axle near the third member. Yes the parking brake needs to be unhooked.
 
No, you can just undo the rubber line from the steel hard line then remove the clip holding the flex line to the backing plate. If you use a vacuum cap on the steel line it should keep all the fluid in the line or the caliper. You can also clamp off the fluid in the rubber line with vice grips if you like.

Thanks all - but this piece circled is what is holding the brake line to the plate. It appears yes you can separate it but that will cause the brake line to have air and bleed out. This axle will be off for awhile. So I cannot disconnect / clamp the brake line.

so to remove this plate, I will have to remove the parking brake assembly ?
7EFD075F-07C0-45BD-AD2E-510A314505C4.jpeg
 
Let’s back up.. What are you removing the axle from the truck to do? What you’re talking about doing doesn’t need to be done to drop and remove the axle.
 
Vice grip the soft line. Use a 10MM wrench to loosen the brake line you reference in the above picture. Pop off the clamp (small metal piece on the bracket) and drop the axle. Place the new (locked axle) in place and hook it back up. The emergency brake is a cable with a mechanical lock in the middle of the entire axle. According to my spell check it is spelled azalea.
 
:popcorn:

edit:wait, that's how it ends?
 
Vice grip the soft line. Use a 10MM wrench to loosen the brake line you reference in the above picture. Pop off the clamp (small metal piece on the bracket) and drop the axle. Place the new (locked axle) in place and hook it back up. The emergency brake is a cable with a mechanical lock in the middle of the entire axle. According to my spell check it is spelled azalea.

Thanks but I’m not changing my posture on this. I’m not opening or touching the line. I want to remove the plate holding it. I’m not trying to learn / master brake fluid right now. I’m on a serious crunch to get this done.

Let me rephrase it - how do I remove this entire backing plate piece ? Is it part of the parking brake assembly? I couldn’t make it out in the FSM

F828AC37-E3BE-451F-AFBF-10CEF8BBB84D.jpeg
 
No disrespect or side chatter but what I said seems like the ONLY way to move forward. Please @Fosters @musthave @Broski @onur chime in and a call me out on this.
 
Darn- I really don’t want to have to open the brake line… I was looking for affirmation that yes, removing the parking brake will expose the plate and removing it will allow you to essentially suspend it in the air along with the caliper.

Appreciate the insight @Comet
Any and all views are appreciated
 
Pinch the soft line. Minimizes the amount of bleeding you have to do. If the line is newer then you get away with it. I really wish I had a better answer. The old axle to the new axle will have to be bled anyway. Wait on the guys above to make sure I am not leading you astray. Best of luck brother.
 
Thank goodness. Those more knowledgeable.
 
Come on guys op said he can't open the braking system open. he probably is using proprietary brake fluid that will violently explode if mixed with anything else.

OP: you need to pull the rear axle, pull the bearings, with the sst, pull the hub, all of your rear parking brake gear and spring and pads and bellcranks, then you can leave your rear backing plates floating in the air. roll your new axle under, pull hubs, parking brake gear, backing plate off your new axle, then connect the old one, add all your parking brake gear pack, adjust it, repack your bearings, install hub and tighten using sst. Add axle shafts.

see how logical that sounds instead of disconnecting and reconnecting 1 brake line and 4 minutes of bleeding?

jokes aside cut the brake line bracket off the back plate and weld back to your new one. Maybe rivets. or don't. They're discontinued so if you mess up you're SOL
 
Last edited:
There no way to remove that plate without the axle ,hub assembly , all emergency brake parts. and then you would still need to disconnect the line because the hard line is not going to have that much movement.
the you still need to disconnect the center line
Come on guys op said he can't open the braking system open. he probably is using proprietary brake fluid that cannot be mixed with anything else.

OP: you need to pull the rear hub covers off, pull the bearings, with the sst, all of your rear parking brake gear, then you can leave your rear backing plates floating in the air. roll your new axle under, pull hubs, parking brake gear, backing plate off your new axle, then connect the old one, add all your parking break gear pack, adjust it, repack your bearings, and reinstall using sst.

see how logical that sounds instead of disconnecting and reconnecting 1 brake line and 4 minutes of bleeding?

jokes aside cut the brake line bracket off the back plate and weld back to your new one. or don't. They're discontinued so if you mess up you're SOL
Just not going to happen.
 
You would need to pull the Axle the hub assembly, all the parking brake gear at that point you have the spindle sticking out it's non-removable. the hard line is not going to let you move that plate that far. even if you could you would need to do that to both sides . and then do the same thing to the new axle.
Bottom line there no practical way to swap out a rear axle assembly with out having to bleed the brakes.
Make it easy on your self and do what Thatcabledude said pinch off the center soft line and disconnected it. Then drop out the hole assembly you well save time and energy.
The other way you have bearings to deal with the possibility of damaged axle seals, hub gaskets. not to mention the parking park assembly is a pain in the a** to deal with. 🤷‍♂️

;)
 
Sorry OP, but I can’t help but laugh. No way you’re swapping axle housings without cracking the brake lines. You’d have to transfer the hard lines from one housing to the other. I’m not even sure you could do that without creating a big tangled mess.

Now is the time to replace those soft lines anyway.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom