RTH: Rear Full Floater - Axle Removal Problem
- Thread starter shinny
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- Thread starter
- #22
Update - for those who are interested.
Since all my rigging couldn't budge the bugger. I decided a new course of action. I put the wheel back on, put her on the ground, and drove back and forth figuring something would have to let go (hopefully that which is binding everything up). By driving back and forth, the stuck corner sometimes turning, sometimes skidding, and tightening the two screws in the flange I was able to work out the axle about 4 inches (so the splines are free from the diff). It's definitely the bearings so I was getting spooked driving this thing on one wobbley corner, so back on jacks it went. The slide hammer and the jack-all still won't pull the axle out. I think the oil seal and/or bearings have made one tight collar one the axle. Time to buy some really long bolts to put in the axle flange, and keep turning that wheel by hand, if I can. At least it's the short axle!
Since all my rigging couldn't budge the bugger. I decided a new course of action. I put the wheel back on, put her on the ground, and drove back and forth figuring something would have to let go (hopefully that which is binding everything up). By driving back and forth, the stuck corner sometimes turning, sometimes skidding, and tightening the two screws in the flange I was able to work out the axle about 4 inches (so the splines are free from the diff). It's definitely the bearings so I was getting spooked driving this thing on one wobbley corner, so back on jacks it went. The slide hammer and the jack-all still won't pull the axle out. I think the oil seal and/or bearings have made one tight collar one the axle. Time to buy some really long bolts to put in the axle flange, and keep turning that wheel by hand, if I can. At least it's the short axle!
This cannot be if it's a full floater. The shaft is just connected to the stub and inserted in the diff.
All there is is an oil seal that contacts the shaft inside the housing, so if it's out of the diff it should move without any resistance. There is something fishy here.
Are you sure it's a full floater and not a semi-floater?
If you look at the rear of the diffhousing, are there bolts visible, IOW is the rear of the housing bolted to the housing itself?
All there is is an oil seal that contacts the shaft inside the housing, so if it's out of the diff it should move without any resistance. There is something fishy here.
Are you sure it's a full floater and not a semi-floater?
If you look at the rear of the diffhousing, are there bolts visible, IOW is the rear of the housing bolted to the housing itself?
From the photos, it is clearly a Full Floater. Indeed it is fishy though. Likely the bearings got loose enough for the axle to do some welding to something inside the housing. Just keep pulling.
Am I missing something in this picture?? Where is the end of the axle shaft (the flat part that bolts to the hub with cone washers)?
It looks like you have threaded into the lock nut from the photo.
It looks like you have threaded into the lock nut from the photo.
- Thread starter
- #27
No, not easily. With a 3 foot lever I can get it to rotated through maybe 90 degrees. I suspect the oil seal has virtually welded itself to the axle shaft. Now that it's a few inches apart - what I can see inside the hub is pretty gory so I wouldn't be surprised to find bits of bearings welded to stuff, too.
The picture may be misleading you. There is a part of a shackle I bolted to the axle outer so I could get some chain around something. That flange appears slighter darker than the hub - but, yeah, it doesn't show up well in the photo.
The oil seal is nothing but a piece of rubber. Even if it was melted/welded to the shaft you would break it with one hand.
If you're talking about a messy situation in the hub, this can be but as there are NO bearings sitting on the shaft (If it is a full-floater), you must be talking about the wheel bearings. If they are a mess then there is much more going on, but that's evident as you said you blew a bearing.
But this still should not keep you from just sliding out the shaft.
If you're talking about a messy situation in the hub, this can be but as there are NO bearings sitting on the shaft (If it is a full-floater), you must be talking about the wheel bearings. If they are a mess then there is much more going on, but that's evident as you said you blew a bearing.
But this still should not keep you from just sliding out the shaft.
There are some threads on here with stories of front wheel bearings being so bad that they severely damaged the front spindle. Its possible that the rear bearings could do the same if they froze up and started to melt the spindle.
No, not as far as I know the full floater and I've worked quite a bit on them.
The wheel bearings sit on the axle-housing - the stub - and there is no connection whatever with the shaft.
Even if there is damage to the stub I can hardly imagine that that could keep the shaft from being easily removed. There is quite some distance between stub and shaft and the shaft is more or less tapered, so once it has moved an inch or so it should slide out.
I have to agree on lowenbrau, saying that from the picture it's a full floater, so there should be no c-clip and you cannot destroy the inners by brute force.
Now that the shaft is several inches out I would take out the other shaft and remove the third member to look inside the housing, trying to find out more. As the stubborn shaft is out that far, removing the diff should be no problem.
I agree.
It may be time to chop that axle shaft off so you can get to the what's left of the wheel bearing nuts and remove the hub. Hopefully the spindle isn't damaged.
Any luck with the axle?
- Thread starter
- #34
Finally an update...
I posted pics on flickr of the carnage that came out. The axle is a little shorter than I hoped, but it's clearer now why it was such a bugger to get out. As for the rest of the shaft, it's still in the diff so I can't get the diff off unless there is a way to fish it out or cut open the pumpkin. The spindle is a mess. So now I'm on the search for a complete FF since I suspect that'll be cheaper than getting the spindle repaired, what's left of the axle removed and whatever damage has been done to the diff repaired as well.
Anyone in Calgary have a full rear for sale? I think Joe has one but I can't seem to get a hold of him. Also, what's a fair price, in Calgary, for a 7series FF?
I posted pics on flickr of the carnage that came out. The axle is a little shorter than I hoped, but it's clearer now why it was such a bugger to get out. As for the rest of the shaft, it's still in the diff so I can't get the diff off unless there is a way to fish it out or cut open the pumpkin. The spindle is a mess. So now I'm on the search for a complete FF since I suspect that'll be cheaper than getting the spindle repaired, what's left of the axle removed and whatever damage has been done to the diff repaired as well.
Anyone in Calgary have a full rear for sale? I think Joe has one but I can't seem to get a hold of him. Also, what's a fair price, in Calgary, for a 7series FF?
This is not Calgary [http://www.importpurist.com/], but he does have a 70 series full floater axle for sale. If you want to contact the owner, he is on mud and his ID is rutbeer.
Good luck
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