Rear Axle: 1963 Lark 8 - AT WIT'S END concerning the Rear Axle - a TRUE CHALLENGE!!!

[HissingElf]

Folks, It's been three weeks, and the Lark is STILL on the lift. Even the SHOP MANUAL can't solve this. Here is the situation: 1. Drum and Backing Plate are OFF. 2. Dust Cover is OFF. 3. Wick is OUT. 4. Axle HOUSING, BEARING, and AXLE are EXPOSED. 5. NO visible threads or shims. 6. Rear End cover is OFF. NO Bolts or anything that holds axle in position. 7. Roll Pin is NOT accessible - cannot reach it. It is set into the housing far enough that we cannot get a straight shot at it. 8. The Manual references spacers, but none are visible. GOAL: Need to remove axle to lube, put in new gaskets, etc... HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED THIS - and can anyone help???? Thanks for all the help, and who have weighed in on some of my issues in the past!!! - Chris

[RadioRoy]

You are trying to remove the axles? Is this a twin traction rear end?

If it is not twin traction (which I know nothing about) the axles on a regular rear end are held in by the backing plates behind the brakes and friction on the outer wheel bearings. If you pull the backing plates, you can remove the axles by using the brake drums as a slide hammer. No need to do inside the differential at all.

If I have completely misunderstood the question/problem, then please ignore my post.

[jackb]

roll pin = thrust block in a TT ?? ....if the axle is still in the tube, then I think you're talking about something else ?? Define roll pin ! Roy has you on removing the axle via brake drum w/ nut on and slide maneuver....if you have TT you will see the thrust block (bronze colored) inside at the inner end of the axle tube. I don't believe it is accessible from the open center cover.
Once you get the axle out....get back here and we'll talk you through the next step(s). You've done the hardest part already....

[HissingElf]

Dear Jackb, Sadly, I do not have a TT... yes, the axle is still inside the tube. The roll pin is a tiny pin that runs southeast to northwest... on the lower right of the diff box. My mechanic friend - Wes - is the one doing the actual work (since he's a mechanic and I am not). He's going to try the set of instructions that Roy gave.... that's where we are. (Wes offered his number... 410-687-7440). Hopefully, this method will work. Again, thanks so much. Chris

[HissingElf]

Dear Roy, Sadly, I do not have a TT... My mechanic friend - Wes - is the one doing the actual work (since he's a mechanic and I am not). He's going to try the set of instructions that you gave.... that's where we are. (Wes offered his number... 410-687-7440). Hopefully, this method will work. Again, thanks so much. Chris

[SScopelli]

Since I do not know your car,
I will assume it has the original style Dana with the tapered shafts, and that when you removed the rear drum it is exposed..

I put disc on my rear, but the taper axle looks like this. With all this bolted on, it will not come out.
So, again, assuming you can see the bearing and race, it should come out..





They do stick sometimes and need a bit of persuasion to get them out. You will need to fabricate a sort of "Knock-Puller" to convince it to slide out.. I have an "H-Bar" that weighs 10lbs and a hole in the center large enough to slide over the tapper shaft. Then big washer and axle nut..

Slide repeatedly, and aggressively, until it comes out.

A picture of what the H-Bar like I use..


I'm also not sure what roll pin you are trying to remove.. Once the backing plate is removed, it should be as far as you need to disassemble to get the axle out.

[tbirdtbird]

Roll pin ?
Wick ?
3 wks ?
I think you need to understand what a slide hammer is for; the bearing race is holding the whole thing in there;
a slide hammer is the reverse of a regular hammer: It hammers things OUT, a regular hammer hammers them IN
You need a parts manual to clarify the construction used.
Pics would help a lot

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

I've always just put the brake drum back on loosely - turn the axle nut on 3 or 4 threads - then used the drum to "bump " out the bearing race. Comes out every time with only light bumping.

[ddub]

Do you have shop and parts manuals? Very helpful.

[StudeRich]

If it iswhat we all think it is, I can't believe a "Qualified" Auto Tech could actually take 3 weeks to do a 5 minute job!

[rockne10]

Let's be kind, Rich and admit we are getting old (or, older...to be kind). Our tapered axles are no longer the norm and haven't been for over four decades. Some of the highly trained mechanics who have never seen these are already grandparents. I suspect they know a whole lot more about newer cars than I can ever forget about the old ones. I can give them credit for not wanting to "break" something they are not familiar with. Without training, I broke more than my share forty or fifty years ago. I can see why they might think it cannot be that simple. No axle would be held in today without a "C" clip or something similar.

[tbirdtbird]

ha ha the brake drum-as-a-slide hammer trick is cool. I am ripping into my M5 rear end right now and my nephew and I had to slide hammer the daylights out of one side to get the axle out; the other side fell out ! you never know.

never dawned on me that a modern mechanic has not run into a tapered axle....

[HissingElf]

The mechanic in question is 83 years old... very qualified, and is a car collector. BUT... it's that little pushpin that has held everything up. He's not a Studebaker guy.... Awesome mechanic, though...

[HissingElf]

SUCCESS!!! The instructions worked. In my mechanic's defense, this is not an obvious fix, and the Studebaker Shop Manual gives no hint or indication based on the diagrams or instructions. Axle being put back together - and coming off the lift today. Thanks to EVERYONE who responded to this thread. Have documented this process and added it to the manual (for next time!!!!) - Chris

[PackardV8]

BUT... it's that little pushpin that has held everything up.

SUCCESS!!! The instructions worked

Just for the sake of closure, I still wanna know what little pushpin held everything up and which instructions worked?

jack vines