Builds Rebuild of Trusty (1 Viewer)

[POPO AGIE]

I talked to a friend that use to work on race cars and he said most of the time he replaced axle shafts and the splines were tight he would take a wire wheel to the splines to knock the edge off until the spline fit.

I am going to use the old side gears so that I can check the fit and wire wheel as needed until they slide on and take photos of just how far they fit..

 

[POPO AGIE]

I checked the fit of the old side gear to the splines and it slid right on no problem.

I put the tires on the axle and loaded it up in the truck, which was fun with a JD tractor and working alone but I won.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Used my JD tractor and forks on the bucket and wrestled the assembly into the truck bed. Then took the assembly to the machine shop with the axle shafts.
1. The run out of the shafts will be checked
2. The run out will be checked on the rotors to make sure the housing is not bent
Called tech support at Lock Right and they seem to think the spline ID of the coupler plates may be at the lower tolerance the axle spline OD may be at the upper end of the tolerance so right now there is an interference fit.

Then, once the checks are made will do skim cuts on the OD of the splines until they slide into the locker.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Went to town and picked up some steel to fabricate a brace to secure my diesel tank that I use to fuel my tractor with the clamp on forks and also make fork extensions to get the rear axle out of the truck when I bring it home from the shop.

Went to the shop today to check on the progress of installing the shafts and the spline OD is right, there has been just a slight misalignment and they both engage and slide right up the inner plates in the locker the same as the side gear slid on. They are just a little long and will be trimmed so that the snap ring keeps the other end, making contact with the plates inside the locker.

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

Used my JD tractor and forks on the bucket and wrestled the assembly into the truck bed. Then took the assembly to the machine shop with the axle shafts.
1. The run out of the shafts will be checked
2. The run out will be checked on the rotors to make sure the housing is not bent
Called tech support at Lock Right and they seem to think the spline ID of the coupler plates may be at the lower tolerance the axle spline OD may be at the upper end of the tolerance so right now there is an interference fit.

Cool old school BFGs!
How old do they are actually?

 

[POPO AGIE]

Cool old school BFGs!
How old do they are actually?

I bought those tires in 1991 right before I totaled it out.

When I got them mounted the ex was on the back porch watching me drive up and when I got out she asked why the tires were so Small. I replied that was all you would allow me to spend. They replaced N78-15" Ground Hawgs.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Grabbed the Birfield snap rings and the set of conical washers and went to the machine shop. When I got there both shafts had been shortened in the lathe about 0.330" and the drive flanges mated up to compress the gaskets without the shafts making contact with the inner plates of the locker.

Drive flange flush against the wheel hub and the groove for the snap ring right where it should be.

Opposite drive flange fit

Installing the studs and cone washers

Snap ring installed

Drive flanges assembled

 

[POPO AGIE]

Got the axle home

Using the tractor and fork extensions to reach both tires. One ratchet strap to pull the axle to the tractor and the other one to squeeze the channel against the other tire so I did not drop that end as I lifted the axle.

Made it inside without dropping the axle

Transferred the weight to the wheel dollies

I then came in to check the manual for the torque spec for the hub studs and lock hub cover bolts. I torqued the hub studs to 14 lb/ft and did not have a 1/2 drive shock in 5 mm so I did the cover bolts by feel.

When I was rolling the axle back an forth getting both wheels on the channel I could hear the locker and sounded like a popcorn popper so it is working without much torque to allow differential action.

 

[POPO AGIE]

We had snow and winds overnight and our road got drifted in and was spending my day get the road opened back up and for the first time had help from a guy that brought over a bigger tractor. Got the tractor stuck a few times and was pulled out with help from the other tractor and the last time I had to get my Ram 3500 and use the winch to get it out of the ditch and the hole the front wheels were digging.

Last night most of the State had either closed roads or no unnecessary travel.

 

[POPO AGIE]

After being at two different sites from February until last week and now that the snow is gone and the weather has warmed up I started working the the front axle getting the final cleaning and prepped for paint.

Started cleaning the inside of the axle and had to swab out the old greasy mess.

Cleaned up the rust around the seal area

The other end cleaned up in the seal area and the condition inside the tube

Masked the ball ends before painting

Shot with primer

 

[POPO AGIE]

Painted the axil with 2 coats

Painted the Differential it also got 2 coats

Then I started removal of the brake master cylinder and booster

 

[POPO AGIE]

Looks like the fluid had been leaking

Booster removed

Removed the Clutch master cylinder

The Master cylinder fluid was leaking worse

 

[POPO AGIE]

Then moved on to the removal of the Steering wheel and column

Removed the wheel with a bearing puller and worked quite well and didn't break the turn signal assembly

I did find that the hub of the steering wheel is cracked

Column is out

 

[POPO AGIE]

Worked on the differential and assembling to the axle today.

Installed the locker.

Locker installed

Gasket installed on top of the gasket maker

Gasket maker applied to the gasket

Differential installed and all the Allen head bolts torqued all the threads had the gasket maker applied

 

[POPO AGIE]

The shop called to let me know they finished cutting the relief in each knuckle so that the steering arms would full seat.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Was back out working on the front axle trying to get set up to take measurements for the knuckle shims.

First bearing race

Rolled axle over and supported the pinion to seat the lower race.

Seated race

installed all 4 races

Cleaned the seal pocked and inserted the scribe tool

Painted lay out dye on the rod

 

[POPO AGIE]

Difference between the new bearings and the old bearing on the Left

Ready to pack the bearings with Moly grease

Lower bearing packed

Tool set up but need bushings for the new bearings

Too much clearance between the rod and the ID of the bearings

 

[fjc-man]

Wrong bearings, they need to be the same style as the removed originals.

 

[POPO AGIE]

Switched to set up the knuckle for the short side to scribe the line.

Bolted on the spindle with the caliper adapter because not sure where the old bolts are and these came with the big brake kit

Removed the busing so that it will fit the spindle bushing

Scribe tool installed in the spindle bushing

Rod installed and rotated with the scribe against the rod to scribe the line was prying the scribe up against the rod with the tool for the short side

Measured the short side knuckle, I measure both and they were with in .001" of each other. Was hard to hold the caliper and take the photo at the same time

Measured a new trunnion for the bushings I also measured the rod but didn't take a pic

Made a data sheet in Excel for the shim calculations that I can just plug in the numbers to do the calculations

 

[POPO AGIE]

Made a sketch for the Machinist make bushings so I can scribe the line from the knuckle ball