Spider Gear Weld Fail & Rear Axle Bearings

[Steamer]

So, I’ve been running about 18 years with the rear spider gears welded up by the PO. I only wheel in the swamp and I been very happy with how well it pulls out there. So I just left it alone all this time and left that Lock-Right locker on the shelf. But now a rear axle seal started to leak and I’ve never changed them and don’t know when or if the PO ever did. So I ordered new seals and bearings and began my first rear axle pull and because of all the good info here on Mud it went quite smoothly.

As soon as the cover came off I could see the welds on the spider gears had torn loose. Even though there was some play between them, the big ole gobbers of weld kept them from spinning and I was still effectively locked up.

The bad news is bits and pieces of the weld failure made their way out to my wheel bearings damaging them and worst of all damaging the axle itself since my 74 style axles don’t use inner bearing races.

So while I’m here searching for axle replacement options I ran across a post saying the pre 74 axles that used a race are interchangeable with the 74 and later axles that do not and it’s just a matter of which bearings are used.

So I’m wondering if I could just get the earlier style bearings with inner races and press that race onto my scored axle. And if that would work, are speedy sleeves available for my seals?

Or should I just continue looking for other axles?

 

[B y r o n]

My '73 rear axles use an axle bearing with a race. My guess is that you would need to find a set of bearings where the race was the right diameter for your axles. My guess is that the earlier axles diameter was less and the race made up the difference. An option might be having your axle turned down to where the earlier bearing would fit properly.

 

[Steamer]

Thanks for the response Byron. I now believe your guess is right. I've finally found some bearing dimensions and I'm feeling confident that the bearings are identical for both axle types except that the earlier style uses an inner race that goes with an axle with a smaller diameter where the race sits.
So it seems the axles from late 73 and later were machined to a larger diameter at the bearing area and did away with the race. Why did they do that? My guess is was simply for added strength. It wouldn't seem logical to change machining on the same axles to just to save the cost of a race. Makes sense to me but I'd like someone in the know to confirm or correct my assumptions.
Anyways, I guess I'm back on a search for replacement axle of the larger diameter.

 

[shelfboy1]

i have a pile of those axle shafts with the larger race if you cant find any closer

 

[Steamer]

i have a pile of those axle shafts with the larger race if you cant find any closer

I doubt I'll find anything close. FJ40's are rare here in So. Fla. I responded to your response in my WTB post. Thanks!