SOS on birfield job - long axle side (1 Viewer)

[shocker]

[quote author=Riley link=board=2;threadid=7943;start=msg67327#msg67327 date=1069702831]

Another question. With the axle removed, is the spindle strong enough to support the wheel? I assume so but had better ask just in case we explore that option.

[/quote]

If I understand what you are asking here correctly, the answer is yes. The front end of any axle like this one is essentially a "full-floater". All the axle does is apply force to rotate the wheel; none of the weight of the vehicle rests on it. The spindle and hub assembly take care of supporting the vehicle and braking.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Simon,

I can't see why it would be any more difficult to seat it the other way since you're getting a seal puller and would be properly using the center hold to pull against. Once you get in there to pull on it in it's current improper direction, you're only a couple taps of a hammer to loosen it away from flipping it and properly seating it. The tool you're looking at is designed to pull the metal bracket toward the seal, so should be good.

The downside to letting it get loose while the axle prevents it from getting into the diff gears is still there. I'd think it would be laying on the axle once it slides inboard where the axle housing is larger. Then it's going to constantly put metal particles into the gear oil that will go through all the gears. Who knows what forces act upon it in terms of vibration, and turblence from gear oil.

 

[Photoman]

Maybe this will help you or a variation of it. The basic idea is to drill the piece at the end off center so one end is heavier than the other. Pull the string so the piece lines up straight with the bar, insert through axle and ring, let go of string, end piece will flop down, catch both lips of ring and pull. The outside end can have a pipe nipple hitting a bolt for a slam hammer or just clamp on some vice grips and hit them with a hammer to pull ring. You will have to determine the sizes and lengths of the pieces.
Bill

 

[PHAEDRUS]

Once again will offer some help here.
if you are so inclined simon I have a tap and die set and a good high speed drill. my thought would be to hybrid set the existing wedge in place. locate the wedge and then drill hole through the housing. then plug weld the plate through the hole. hope that makes sense. oh and by the way guess who has a portable wire feed welder?
Dave

 

[IdahoDoug]

Photman,

That's a model of simplicity. Two thumbs up for design!

Doug

 

[semlin]

Ok, pullers that will fit that hole are proving hard to find. If anyone has an OTC pn# that they think will work, PM me. Still working on it. Meantime, I will make the photoman tool tonight and maybe a variation. Off to home depot for some metal plate.

 

[cruiserdan]

HEY,

How about a big one of those winged molly bolt things used in a sheetrock wall. The ones with the spring that makes the "wings" pop out.

 

[IdahoDoug]

That's a good one, 'cept then you've got a moly bolt laying in your axle housing afterwards since they don't have a provision to close the wings to be pulled out. Yeah, I know now you're gonna suggest using the magnetic pencil from one of those metal shaving drawing face things we all played with as kids in the 60s to pull it out, right? Well we're not old enough to remember those so forget it. 8)

DougM

PS - Quit screwing around in this thread and answer my PM about the ECU!

 

[landtank]

You might go with a variation on Photoman's idea. Get a piece of channel stock instead. Drill the offset hole but ditch the string idea. As you rotate the tool the end piece would fold into the channel and be held in place for insertion and removal. Also maybe a little stronger for pulling.

 

[scottm]

Is there any concern of weakening the axle tube with tapped holes? If not, two set screws from underneath could support the axle instead of the ring. Brass tipped would be nice.

Does anything seat on the outer edge, outboard and opposite the edge the locating ring seats against? If not, a bushing would be easy to make for locating the axle. Sort of a thin-walled tube that would fit in the axle tube, holding a new support ring. A machine shop could make one from a few measurements and a sketch.

 

[TLCObsession]

[quote author=Phaedrus link=board=2;threadid=7943;start=msg67391#msg67391 date=1069709781]
Once again will offer some help here.
if you are so inclined simon I have a tap and die set and a good high speed drill. my thought would be to hybrid set the existing wedge in place. locate the wedge and then drill hole through the housing. then plug weld the plate through the hole. hope that makes sense. oh and by the way guess who has a portable wire feed welder?
Dave
[/quote]

Dave mine is 'portable' if you have either a 220V welding outlet or a 220V dryer outlet within 50 feet!

I made the suggestion earlier to plug weld at 3 & 9 o'clock!

jim

 

[Scamper]

Hey, if you're going to drill and tap the axle housing, why not try this:

Since the optimal location of the holes would be pretty much the same location as the ring, once you get the ring back in position (using any of the ideas presented above), drill and tap the holes just inboard of the ring itself so that the short bolts (or set screws) would actually hold it in place. Kill two birds with one stone.

Tom

 

[Riley]

I don't want to discourage the new ideas but Photoman wins the idea contest.

Simon's built a variation on the idea. I'm sure we will be doing pics tonight.

Hopefully we will get this licked and then off to the brakes.

Stay tuned.

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=Scott M. link=board=2;threadid=7943;start=msg67543#msg67543 date=1069724960]
Is there any concern of weakening the axle tube with tapped holes? If not, two set screws from underneath could support the axle instead of the ring. Brass tipped would be nice.

[/quote]

1/2" hole is not going to do much on the strength of the housing.

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=Scamper link=board=2;threadid=7943;start=msg67921#msg67921 date=1069786564]
Hey, if you're going to drill and tap the axle housing, why not try this:

Since the optimal location of the holes would be pretty much the same location as the ring, once you get the ring back in position (using any of the ideas presented above), drill and tap the holes just inboard of the ring itself so that the short bolts (or set screws) would actually hold it in place. Kill two birds with one stone.

Tom
[/quote]

I drilled mine close to the diff. This way you can slide the axle in, then just pick up the end close to the axle. I would not drill the knuckle side since you will still have to deal with a lot of leverage on the axle when installing it.

 

[semlin]

the modified photoman tool is a piece of 7/16" threaded rod drilled through at one end. A piece of 1/2" "L" angle iron is bolted through the ready rod hole. It pivots just like photoman's and one half of the "L" will rest on the ready rod to thread it through the axle (I also have a hole for a piece of string). I then have a piece of L angle steel with a hole in it that the ready rod passes through and a couple of bolts. The steel piece is wide enough to rest on either side of the outer knuckle housing. The plan is to pull the seal in by tightening a bolt against the steel against the knuckle housing. If not, I can just use it as a handle to pull

 

[PHAEDRUS]

mine is REALLY portable. as in looks liek a car battery jumper made by century tools and runs on two motorcycle batteries. I like it. good for small jobs and the occasional trail repair and small enough to get in to small places. if anyone is interested I think they can be had through mac tools though not sure though. it is a century model 131.
Dave

 

[semlin]

so the birfield is back in and we are all ready for the new rotors. The photoman tool version 2.0 was successful in seating the index ring about 2 inches in from where it should be. It was very well seated there and it seems highly doubtful to me that it will jar loose.

anyway, thanks to all for their help. for photoman's benefit will try to post photos of pmt 1.0 v2.0

thread out
simon

 

[Riley]

Ok, I know this thread is dead but I wanted to post a pic of our method of holding the birfs. This is a prototype of the plywood SST. Note that it holds the birfs for repacking.

Since we didn't pull the axle off of the birf, after the usual basic cleaning we filled them with Varsol and let them soak over night. In the morning we filled and dumped them a few times until the varsol was running clean. Seemed to work pretty well for those of you that don't want to pull the birf apart.

 

[Riley]

And here's a pic of our version of photoman's puller device.

It was a cheap a dirty implementation but it worked. Imagine more distance from the bracket bar to the end of the tool and a nut on it to pull it tight.

Worked better than it looks.

Oh and one last thing. It was uncanny how fast Simon got this long side axle into the diff:

- a few big deep breaths :-*

- entered an almost zen / "grasshopper" state of mind 8)

- and just slid it into the diff on the first try.

Wow, I couldn't believe it, it just popped right in.