Rear Differential????

[packman]

Where would one look to buy the bearing race installer (looks like a hammer with a head the shape of the bearing) or differential rebuilding tools? Also, if I disassembled a rear (labeling the parts etc....) and really cleaned it out well with brake cleaner, reinstall the cover with new gasket and stuff rags at the axle ends, would it still smell? Seems like a silly question, but that is what keeps me from rebuilding the rear at home. If we have one of them warmish days during the winter, I plan on doing this and placing the rear in the basement for the rebuild.



Packman

[zoomie]

Where would one look to buy the bearing race installer (looks like a hammer with a head the shape of the bearing) or differential rebuilding tools? Also, if I disassembled a rear (labeling the parts etc....) and really cleaned it out well with brake cleaner, reinstall the cover with new gasket and stuff rags at the axle ends, would it still smell? Seems like a silly question, but that is what keeps me from rebuilding the rear at home. If we have one of them warmish days during the winter, I plan on doing this and placing the rear in the basement for the rebuild.



Packman

smell yup if you do that in the basement its gonna stink something horrable, i still have shirt i accidentally got gear oil on from like 6 yrs ago and it still ever so faintly smells like gear oil, its some nasty smelling stuff.

[P72Ford]

Where would one look to buy the bearing race installer (looks like a hammer with a head the shape of the bearing) or differential rebuilding tools? Also, if I disassembled a rear (labeling the parts etc....) and really cleaned it out well with brake cleaner, reinstall the cover with new gasket and stuff rags at the axle ends, would it still smell? Seems like a silly question, but that is what keeps me from rebuilding the rear at home. If we have one of them warmish days during the winter, I plan on doing this and placing the rear in the basement for the rebuild.

Packman

I have a race and seal driver that I got from harbor freight, and its been pretty decent. $30, I think.

What are you planning for a rebuild? All new bearings and seals? New gear ratio? Rebuilding a trac lok?

You need a dial caliper with a magnetic base. A 0-1 micrometer is good to have (I always double check shims), torque wrenches (in*lb and ft*lb), and tools to remove and replace bearings.

By that last part... if you are re-using your carrier (TL rebuild), you'll need to remove the old bearings, and press on new ones. A press and ebaring seperator are helpful, but not totaly needed. I have seen folks split the bearing and remove it, and put new bearings on with soft metal and a hammer. I don't do that, but it can be done. They make a tool to remove the axle bearing; it goes on the end of a slide hammer. HF probably has those too. Or, once you've removed the center section, you can stick a long pipe in there and beat the bearing out from the opposite side. I did that once on an O type rear, when it was out of the car.

They are not complicated pieces, really. I personally wouldn't bother rebuilding a trac lok, as new ones are cheap. Remove the cover, pull the brake drums. Remove the cross pin bolt, and push the cross pin out. Push the axles in, remove the c clips, and pull the axles. Then take the main caps off, pull the diff and ring gear. To remove the pinion it helps to have an impact wrench. Take the flange off, and tap the pinion free. Then you're just removing and replacing bearings and seals. Make sure you put everything on the pinion in the correct order when you reassemble.

This is really something you can do in the driveway, with the right tools.

The smell isn't that bad. Brake cleaner is a great way to wash out the housing and clean the parts.

[1987cp]

Does AutoZone have one in the rental fleet?

[packman]

I'm rebuilding a stock 2.73 open diff to PI specs. I got 3.55 gears, rear diff. girdle, new Track-Lok, gear oil, and friction modifier. I will get the seals locally. I will look into harbor feight as I need to get another tarp for the '53 anyways. I've had this rear for a while, but family health issues sidelined me. I'm hoping that I can sorta completely clean the inside of the rear outdoors and seal it back up to bring indoors for the rebuild. I might have a shop install the bearings since they have the presses and such. I definitely need to grind off the old spring perches and weld on new units. I might even get new axles. I'll have to inspect whatever is in the rear that I got. I don't have a magnetic base dial caliper, so I will need to get that. I got all winter to do this; I just need one warmish day to gut and clean the rear.



Packman

[1987cp]

That reminds me, I want to find a deal on a set of 4.10 gears at some point ......

[packman]

I think I might use a block heater on the rear diff. to heat up the oil before draining it. Does this stuff sludge up in cold weather?



Packman

[1987cp]

80W90? Sludgy in cold weather? Naaahhhh.........

[gadget73]

Whats really sludgey is 150k mile gear oil with traction lock clutch material in it. Its closer to the consistancy of instant pudding.

[1987cp]

Rearend pudding! :banana:

Pumpkin pudding?


Something like that.

[packman]

Mmmmm......pumpkin pudding. Aw now I'm friggin hungry! I think there's a house down the street with an old Halloween pumpkin on the front porch.

I'll dig out the block heater. Probably should hook it up to the CV anyways.


Packman

[Mad MAx]

I have a race and seal driver that I got from harbor freight, and its been pretty decent. $30, I think.

What are you planning for a rebuild? All new bearings and seals? New gear ratio? Rebuilding a trac lok?

You need a dial caliper with a magnetic base. A 0-1 micrometer is good to have (I always double check shims), torque wrenches (in*lb and ft*lb), and tools to remove and replace bearings.

By that last part... if you are re-using your carrier (TL rebuild), you'll need to remove the old bearings, and press on new ones. A press and ebaring seperator are helpful, but not totaly needed. I have seen folks split the bearing and remove it, and put new bearings on with soft metal and a hammer. I don't do that, but it can be done. They make a tool to remove the axle bearing; it goes on the end of a slide hammer. HF probably has those too. Or, once you've removed the center section, you can stick a long pipe in there and beat the bearing out from the opposite side. I did that once on an O type rear, when it was out of the car.

They are not complicated pieces, really. I personally wouldn't bother rebuilding a trac lok, as new ones are cheap. Remove the cover, pull the brake drums. Remove the cross pin bolt, and push the cross pin out. Push the axles in, remove the c clips, and pull the axles. Then take the main caps off, pull the diff and ring gear. To remove the pinion it helps to have an impact wrench. Take the flange off, and tap the pinion free. Then you're just removing and replacing bearings and seals. Make sure you put everything on the pinion in the correct order when you reassemble.

This is really something you can do in the driveway, with the right tools.

The smell isn't that bad. Brake cleaner is a great way to wash out the housing and clean the parts.

we used to travel around the states in an old dodge van with the slide out rear axles. one of the springs in one of the rear brake drums gave way and hilarity ensued. so me and the old lady were layed up sleeping in the van on blocks in the parking lot of the hayes kansas parking lot for a coupla three days with the axles pulled out.

tl;dr: lesson learned - dont be cheap about brake springs

[1987cp]

Didn't know there was such a thing as cheap/inadequate brake springs .....