Trouble Pressing Old ABS Ring on New Birf

[Mojo Jojo]

Rebuilding my knuckles and I was able to get the old ABS ring off with a pickle fork, but having trouble pressing the old ABS ring onto the new birf. Having the outer shaft in the way makes it impossible to square up on it. Any ideas? The birf is an RCV chromoly 30 spline for reference.
Pic 1 is the old ABS ring on the new birf
Pic 2 is the old birf before removing the ABS ring
Pic 3 is the new birfs

 

[Shipwreck]

Break out your calipers and measure the diameter of the RCV birfield. If I recall, both @Broski and @baldilocks recently had quality control issues with the machined surface of their RCV birfield or shafts.
If you do get the ABS ring on, I would also test fit the spindle before putting everything back together on the truck.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Break out your calipers and measure the diameter of the RCV birfield. If I recall, both @Broski and @baldilocks recently had quality control issues with the machined surface of their RCV birfield or shafts.
If you do get the ABS ring on, I would also test fit the spindle before putting everything back together on the truck.

ABS ring: 2.31"
Birf: 2.33"

I took various readings around the circumference of each and those are average readings. But that seems about right that you would want the ABS ring slightly smaller to get a press fit, right?

One thing I didn't think of is to heat the ABS ring up in the oven, I'll try that tonight.

 

[Shipwreck]

One thing I didn't think of is to heat the ABS ring up in the oven, I'll try that tonight.

That was going to be my next suggestion once you confirmed diameters. Put the ABS ring in the oven and the birfield in the freezer.

 

[Pin_Head]

Cool the CV joint in liquid nitrogen, dry ice or even the freezer. Then heat the ring with a torch to about 500F or more. Then it will probably just drop on with no resistance.

If you had a shop press, you could also use a piece of pipe to press it on square to the CV.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

That was going to be my next suggestion once you confirmed diameters. Put the ABS ring in the oven and the birfield in the freezer.

Not sure I can get the driver side one to fit in our freezer. That and the birf is pre-greased, so it's a little messy. But I'll see what I can do without upsetting the wifey.

 

[PIP]

20 thou difference on a 2-3/8" part doesn't sound right. 5 thou maybe if heat is involved. Normal for parts that size would be 2 thou.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Heated the ABS ring to 430 deg and got it on. Mostly on, it didn’t seem to want to seat all the way on one side, so I put a tack weld just to make sure it stays on.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

So now I’m having trouble getting the axle housing oil seal out. I’m using a seal remover but it just bends the seal out as the material is not very strong. I can’t get the tool to grab the back lip of the seal. Any suggestions? Didn’t have an issue removing the oil seal in the hub; this is the very last thing to remove before reassembly.

 

[CharlieS]

Will the old trick of putting a screw in and using that to pry against work?

 

[joxeale]

Delete ABS, be a man

 

[Kernal]

Another option is to grab what you can with a large pair of pliers or vice grips tightened down well, then pull. There are various styles of internal bearing and seal pullers with fingers that work well. Be careful not to pry on the ring behind the seal.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Just to close the loop, after waking up at 3:30 and not being able to fall back asleep, went out to the garage at 4:30 and by 4:40 had it out. Used the seal puller again but this time focused on going back and forth from one side to the other to rock it out. Before I was subconsciously focusing too much on one side, looking back on it. Pic below is with the new seal in and the old one next to it (got pretty buggered up)

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Finished the knuckle rebuild today. One other thing I learned I thought I’d pass on for anyone seeing this in the future in case it helps, had a devil of a time getting the second axle housing oil seal out. My son noticed with his 24 year old eyes the seal puller tips had gotten rounded, and he suspected that’s why we were having trouble grabbing the seal. He sharpened it on the bench grinder and right away it started grabbing the back of the seal and he had it out in a couple minutes. Pretty cool working on this with my son and both of us going through what I’ve considered an 80 series rite of passage.

Another note, I discovered both sides were missing the thrust washer (the one that sits against the outer wheel bearing). Don’t know how long it’s been like that, I’ve only put about 1500 miles on it since I bought it (258k on the odometer). I will be ordering the thrust washers and putting them on, but just curious what the long term effect of not having them on is.