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Sigh; think any damage done? How tough are these rear ends? (57 GHawk Differential)

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  • Rear Axle: Sigh; think any damage done? How tough are these rear ends? (57 GHawk Differential)

    So, I was working on my differential, since i can't really walk anymore (walker), I had it suspended with cherry picker on one end, supported on stool on the other, while I rotated it around and wirebrushed it all up before opening the cover the first time.
    Had just opened it, and was asking on the Forum about how to get the innards out for cleaning, when I fell the next day in a parking lot and ended up with a broken wrist. A cast not taking well to grease and not much good with to me right now anyway, even if I COULD get a really big glove, I've not been out there for three weeks.

    Today, went out just to get a screwdriver for something else, and noticed the differential assembly laying on the floor. The cherry picker cylinder gradually leaked, lowering it on that end, and at some point tilted the stool and tipped it. Looks like it landed as shown in the photo, though may have landed on drive-shaft pinion spline (still 'as-is' since removing the yolk; have not remove seal yet even). But did NOT hit on the ring gear fortunately; that was "up" when it fell and on its side on the ground; I don't remember how far from the edge of the stool the end was (this picture is days before; I took off the U bolts and finished wirebrushing after this was taken), so don't know how low the hoist would have gotten before tipping it (the lower it got, the less distance to the floor for the differential obviously!)
    Actually, looking at the photos, I'm reminded the ice cream pail was directly UNDER the pinion spline (facing down) for any leaking left after draining, so it obviously fell and swung away that farwhen stool tipped (that direction as you can see). Guessing it hit the casting and skidded along to where it sits; I don't think enough rotational momentum for it to rotate around since the spline was down and all the weight is on that end of the axle tubes.... (and don't see oil marks from flipping over on the still-greasy ring gear)

    Thoughts? Nothing to worry about? I felt carefully around the face (gasket sufrace, and no dings there. Didn't think to look at the pinion spline, wasn't thinking about it possibly landing ON that and tipping back to where you see it now. though referencing the ice cream pail, seems more likely the hoist stabilized the one end, and when it dropped it rotated and landed on the casting where it sits..... Sometimes seems cursed.... :-)
    Attached Files
    Last edited by bsrosell; 10-01-2016, 04:33 PM.

  • #2
    Restoring a Studebaker always seems like taking TWO steps forward and ONE step back!

    Hang in there …and don't get discouraged!

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    • #3
      Those things are darn tough. Check the thread on the pinion and be sure the gears mesh without feeling a chip, which I doubt. Me thinks it's just a cheap lesson in not trusting a cherry picker to hold anything for a long period of time. Bob

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      • #4
        Yeah, more steps back lately it seems, so should be smooth sailing ahead for awhile to balance out , right? ;-)

        Just thought of this; obviously the assembly landed ON the backing plate mount; the other end was on the hoist (which has continued to sink over time and now on the floor too). But, good news/bad news is, that impact PROBABLY took the brunt of the fall; the casting may have barely hit, depending on how low the hoist had gotten before the stool finally tipped.
        BUT, how would I ever tell if the torque tube bent at all? Without a very large, very fancy unit to rotate and dial-indicate both ends (or perhaps after putting it all together again, mounting it down to the chassis, and turning axles with dial-indicator), not sure how a guy could tell if any movement of anything or not.... I never thought to look at the backing plate mounting surface, I guess that will tell (show) me how hard and WHERE it hit, should have left a ding of some sort if it hit with much impact (and falling off a 3 foot stool had to put a little whip into the fall.....)

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        • #5
          Thanks Bob. they are built like tanks, (except the frames! ;-) I'll give you that. Please read the post I put up while YOU were posting. Thinking some more about it, it seems the only way to know for sure would be to finish it up, assume it's fine, and then when axles and bearing and all are back in and it is mounted on the frame, dial-indicate the axle runout on both sides; imagine there is probably a bit originally, so could compare the 'hanging yet" side to the one that hit the floor, and if the same, then did NOT bend the axle housing tube.... I really doubt the casting saw much impact, the more I play out how it had to have tipped and swung down from the stool and hit on the backing plate mount FIRST.... So, that it the risk; and if it is IS out, starting looking for a new Hawk rear end and find a shop who will swap it. (I can barely manage with my walker to move things around with the cherry picker and such while its all in pieces; once it's together, will have to be someone else assuming I'm not in a wheel chair by then. OR, maybe I'll get better. Have to be optimistic! With this disease (SPS), will go one way or the other... But working (or was) hard to try and get the chassis complete myself in case I DO lose more mobility, and then likely have to 'farm out' the rest of the body work where more lifting and things I just can't do anymore are involved. Have knee-pads so I can work and should be able to completely finish the chassis and get engine in, etc.. without risk of falling over! So that is good. Keep plugging, just like these Studes have for so many years! :-)
          Originally posted by sweetolbob View Post
          Those things are darn tough. Check the thread on the pinion and be sure the gears mesh without feeling a chip, which I doubt. Me thinks it's just a cheap lesson in not trusting a cherry picker to hold anything for a long period of time. Bob

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          • #6
            Wish I lived closer...I'd definitely give you a hand.....Take care of yourself...and you've got a great car there!

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            • #7
              You might check to see if the axle flange (where the Brake Backing Plate bolts up to) ha been bent. I had a somewhat similar incident and bent one slightly.
              Place a ruler on it and have a squint along the straight edge. I managed to hammer mine back to shape.
              Steve

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              • #8
                When you can lay the backing plate on the axle flange and check for warp likely the floor suffered more than the diff. Luck Doofus

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by doofus View Post
                  When you can lay the backing plate on the axle flange and check for warp likely the floor suffered more than the diff. Luck Doofus
                  Thanks guys;
                  I agree, possible the actual housing never even HIT the ground (settled down gradually as hoist continued to leak and lower SLOWLY). Will check it carefully (when I can :-) for any sign of cracks, should be a good chip in my garage floor coating if THAT dropped from any significant height! So will take a good look at the backingplate surface as planned, AND look for chips in floor coating where THAT landed (or could have rolled/rocked a bit from).

                  Going to go with it unless I see something obvious (OR, God forbid, turning the spline now has a slight 'rough' spot in it vs the velvetly smooth rotation it has now, uncleaned, not yet removed from housing). Maybe it at least knocked it loose for me to remove Doofus, eh? A silver lining? :-) :- )

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                  • #10
                    I peck on the back side of the flange with a brass hammer, if that doesn't work i put a puller across the yoke bolted through the ujoint strap holes and push it off . get well soon dude, Doofus

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                    • #11
                      I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am a bit inspired. I complain from time to time about my arthritis (shoulders and hands) and here is a guy out there working on the rear axle using a walker to get around and has one arm in a cast.

                      I better go get to work. Feeling like a slacker right now.

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