Rear Axle: Bone Head Mistake, Now need advice

[wdills]

Back in July, I sand blasted and painted the frame of my Hawk along with all of the suspension parts that were removed. While I was into the process, I also blasted and painted my Dana 44 rear end. I had just gone through the rear end and replaced all the seals and gaskets along with a flanged axle kit from Fairborn. During blasting, the crud was blown out of the little vent hole that I didn't know was there until it was cleaned out. Obviously the crud that was in the vent hole along with an unknown amount of sand was blown into the axle tube. I knew I had to pull the axle on that side to clean out what ever got inside, but I had to wait until the rear end was back in the car because the dolly I built supported the rear end from the axle flanges. Fast forward to today.

The rear end is now back in and supported by the springs so tonight I decided to pull the axle and see what was in the tube. The tube didn't have much in it but the grease around the bearings was full of sand. Prior to blasting I taped the outer grease seal housing to the axle to prevent sand from getting through the felt seal. The tape appeared to hold well. When pulling the axle I discovered sand between the outer seal housing and the brake backing plate. I seems that the sand blaster had enough pressure to push sand between the seal housing and backing plate.

So now my problem is how to clean everything up prior to re-assembly. I would like to remove the bearings from the shaft so I can clean them really well. The manual just says to use a press but I don't know to get a grip on the bearing to press it out. Anybody have a simple explanation or picture showing the removal of the bearings from the shaft.

As for cleaning the crap out of the tube, anyone have any advice on how to flush the tube? Is the tube open into the diff housing? If I remove the rear cover can I flush the tube with diesel and have it drain out of the diff housing?

Thanks
Wayne

[Lynn]

Don't be too hard on yourself. We have ALL made bone headed mistakes.

I would not mess with trying to clean those axle bearings. I am sure it could be done, but I would replace.

Do you have a shop press? You will need that and a bearing splitter (doesn't really split the bearing) like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LARGE-BEARIN..._Tools&vxp=mtr

If you don't have a press, take the axles and new bearings to a shop. Shouldn't be expensive for them to press off the old ones and press on new ones.

Remove the rear cover.
Remove all the innards. Probably overkill, but do you really want sand in there? I know of no other way to make sure it is clean other than complete disassembly.

You do not need special tools to put it back together provided you KEEP TRACK of the shims and put everything back exactly where it is. Keep the left side shims in one area, clearly bagged and marked, and the right side shims in another area. If, after removing the ring and carrier assy, you see no signs of sand, you can probably stop there, and not remove the pinion. If sand didn't make it to the side bearings, it probably didn't get to the pinion bearings. You can flush the tubes easily with the ring If you did find sand, continue.

Before removing the pinion nut, MARK IT. Put everything back exactly where it was, and you will have no issues.

My guess is the side bearings can be closely inspected and cleaned. They are tapered rollers, and can be cleaned with solvent and compressed air. DON'T make the mistake of spinning them with air!!!!!

Clean everything up and put it back together. Get the torque specs for the side bearing cap bolts.

Good luck.

[bezhawk]

A Toilet brush works to scrub the inside tubes. Tape an extension to the handle.

[JoeHall]

Not a big, deal, just a PITA. I would leave the bearings on the axles and clean them with a spray can of brake cleaner. Bend the spray can straw to get at the bearings good from both ends. Then blow them out with compressed air (do not let them spin), then repack by hand, working an extra 1/2 inch or so of grease through.

I would pop the cover and drain the oil. Then, with axles still removed, remove the seals, and use Bez's toilet brush and more brake cleaner to clean the tubes from the pumpkin toward the wheel end. I'd also hose everything down inside the pumpkin with brake cleaner; sop it out and blow it all dry; button it back up; add oil, and ease on down the road.

[wdills]

I do have a press and I also have a bearing splitter, I just didn't know what it was. I got it out of my uncle's shop several years ago after he passed away. It has just been hanging on the wall with other random stuff ever since.

When looking in the tube, I can see that the sand that got in through the vent hole is isolated to the wheel end of the tube. I think I will try flushing it out before I pull the innards. I love the toilet brush idea, we have some very creative people on this forum.

[garyash]

I've used the two iron plates that came with my Harbor Freight 12-ton press to catch the inner race of the bearing and press down on the end of the shaft to remove the bearing. Put the nut backwards on the end of the shaft before pressing to avoid spreading the end. I had to reconfigure my press recently to put a bearing back on a shaft - tapered shaft and tapered-bore bearing - but I think the '65 axles have straight bore bearings that go tight against a lip. The shop manual isn't helpful: no photos and only a description that reads: "Press the bearing onto the shaft in an arbor press until it is tight."

If you have an axle with tapered shafts, I think the bearing is Timken 14132T, which does have a tapered bore, and the cup is Timken 14276. Both are readily available. Once the bearing is placed on the shaft and slid hand-tight as far as it will go, it needs to be pressed a further .016-.018" to seat it tightly. This requires a dial gauge.

Here is a bearing going back onto the shaft. I used a piece of 1-1/2" pipe to press against the inner race.

[wdills]

Well it is all cleaned up and put back together. The break wash idea worked great to clean the bearings while they were still on the shaft. I did have to pull the differential case out of the housing. There was just no access to the axle tube while it was still in there. Used a brush to clean out the tubes, flushed with diesel and then dried.

I also pulled the drive shaft flange and pinion seal to to make sure nothing got in the front. It was clean. I washed down the diff case, inside the housing and the pinion gear with brake clean while I could get to everything. Dried everything with air before reassembly.

Thanks to all for the advice and suggestions. Toilet brush, you gotta love it.

Wayne

[rodnutrandy]

I think you have enough answers, I just wanted to state we all pull some things looking back that are bonehead, don't feel alone !

[mmagic]

Bonehead ?? If I don't have to do anything twice any more, I start to feel guilty.