axle shaft end play question

-
B

bigtooth

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
245
Reaction score
9
Location
Vermont
Hi all,
I have a 489 8 3/4 in my duster, it came to me with Yukon axles installed in it. I have a drone like noise when I drive above 40 mph, it gets considerbly worse when I go around a left hand corner and appears to only come from the back right wheel and pretty much goes away when going around a right hand corner.
I think I read on hear that the Yukon axles mean I have the 'green' bearing setup, and i'm not sure how to go about checking the axle bearings, i've read through the service manual, but not sure what is different from stock about my setup. Also, there appears to be a bit of end play in the axle on the back right, but none on the drivers side, I thought this might be my problem.
Should there be axle end play with the green bearing setup?
 
No. If it has green bearings it sounds like the right rear bearing is bad.
 
thanks! Do you know if the fact I have Yukon axles means I have to have the green bearing? Or will the stock setup work?
 
bigtooth said:
thanks! Do you know if the fact I have Yukon axles means I have to have the green bearing? Or will the stock setup work?
Click to expand...

No. I am not familiar with the Yukon axles. I would suspect that they could very well come with the green bearings because most in the aftermarket look at the green bearings as an upgrade. I don't think that's necessarily true. Depending on what center section and carrier you have, if you switch from green bearings back to the stock tapered rollers, you may have to install the axle end play button in the carrier.
 
I'm fine with staying with the aftermarket bearings if thats what in it. But if I know thats whats in it, then i'd guess that would be my drone problem due to the bit of endplay in it.
 
bigtooth said:
thanks! Do you know if the fact I have Yukon axles means I have to have the green bearing? Or will the stock setup work?
Click to expand...


Yukon axles are better than the OEM axles in regards to strength, so you will want to keep them in there. With that said you will need the Green bearings as the axles are not cut for the OEM tapered.

Go to Mancini Racing, they should have the bearings you need.
 
As said, if you know for sure they are Yukon axles, it would appear the only way they come is with green bearings. I was not familiar enough with the yukons to know. However, I do know this. When green bearings are pressed on stock axles, no "cutting" is required there, so I don't know what the difference is as far as that goes either. Maybe Badsport will enlighten us. I love learnin stuff.
 
StrokerScamp said:
As said, if you know for sure they are Yukon axles, it would appear the only way they come is with green bearings. I was not familiar enough with the yukons to know. However, I do know this. When green bearings are pressed on stock axles, no "cutting" is required there, so I don't know what the difference is as far as that goes either. Maybe Badsport will enlighten us. I love learnin stuff.
Click to expand...

You know I never thought of that. I do know when I was shopping for parts for my rear end build, Yukon was one of the things I looked at, and was told that they are only cut for the greens, not the adjustable bearings as they called them.

That's most interesting.

EDIT: It appears that you can get axles from Yukon to use with the OEM bearings. They are cut longer. After you install the factory bearing you have to cut the spline end down to get your proper length.

With the axles you have you cannot use the factory bearings as it would make the shaft too short to engage the center carrier.

It's coming back to me now, I had to do a little reading, it was a year and a half ago when I was looking at the Yukon axles.

So it's the spline end that makes a difference.
 
Jack up the right side of the axle, remove the drum, and see if the end play adjuster is in there. If it is, it's a factory bearing. If it's a flat plate with no endplay adjuster, it's the Green type sealed bearing. As you note, you can get the axles in two lengths as needed. Also, there are a couple types of GReens, so it's easiest to just look and see what you have and then give Cass Eslick (DrDIff) a call.
Regardless of what you have, when there's a growl that gets louder or softer depending on load (like swerving) and gets progressively louder with speed, the wheel bearing is bad.
 
I would call or email Dr diff he helped me on questions i had and I also ordered a complete rear end build kit from him for 95$ shipped it was all gaskets you need and green bearings also if you have a sure grip see if you have the thrust button in the carrier
 
i apologize, but how do you check for the thrust button.
FYI - not sure if it means anything to anyone, but I beleive the rear end was built by Mopar maddness in Colorado, it has the suregrip in it.
 
I believe you have to yank the axle out or remove the third member which ever you choose..
If you are looking at the third member and where the axle slides onto there should be either a hole or a pin type thing there
 
bigtooth said:
i apologize, but how do you check for the thrust button.
FYI - not sure if it means anything to anyone, but I beleive the rear end was built by Mopar maddness in Colorado, it has the suregrip in it.
Click to expand...

If it has green bearings, it ain't gotta thrust button. The thrust button is there to allow the end play to be adjusted on that one side in a sure grip. When you lose the tapered roller bearings, you have to lose the thrust button.
 
I still have my thrust button in with my stock axles with green bearings installed to a 741 3.91 s.g
 
Took a look at the right side under the drum and I can see what looks like the side of the sealed bearing, and no obvious adjuster.
Theres not a ton of miles on the rear end, ~5000 I think, but when I got it there were 1 1/4 inch wheel adapters on it with 15x8 inch rims on it that had 3.75 inches of back spacing, i'm guessing this extra torque on the bearing could have caused premature wear?
 
duster731 said:
I still have my thrust button in with my stock axles with green bearings installed to a 741 3.91 s.g
Click to expand...

The deestruckshuns say to ditch the thrust button. I don't see where it would hurt anything but if it will I'm sure you'll find out.
 
You never know. You could have an axle tube not perfectly sqaure or whatever. I wouldnt worry about it. Just replace and go have fun.
 
Well my father-in-law came over last night and we took a quick look. I wanted his opinion on the play I'm feeling. We discovered that the play is in both wheels and that its not like the wheel can be moved directly in and out, like the normal end play is supposed to in the stock setup, but its a rotational play that exists. So imagine if you had one hand on the tire at 9 oclock and the other at 3 oclock, pushing with one hand and pulling with the other, the tires can be rocked back and forth a bit in this manner. You can see the brake drum moving back and forth over the brake plate when its wiggled.

The pops suggested this might mean the inner bearings are toast, as in this case the pivot point of the movement is the outer wheel bearing which means that the inner end of the axle shafts are moving around much more then the bit we're moving the tire in and out. Also, he said it felt like there was a bit to much slop in how much you could spin the tire back in forth in its conventional rotation direction before it moved the drive shaft, about 3/8 to 1/2 an inch i'd say.

We're going to have a second opinion from a mechanic friend, but at this point I think we may tear the whole thing out to look things over.

What do you guys think?
 
StrokerScamp said:
If it has green bearings, it ain't gotta thrust button. The thrust button is there to allow the end play to be adjusted on that one side in a sure grip. When you lose the tapered roller bearings, you have to lose the thrust button.
Click to expand...

not true.. i have green bearing in my car and have installed them in many cars and have never had to remove the thrust block. yukon is the only axle guys that i know of that have this problem. i always get my axles from moser and have never had to remove the thrust block..



EDIT: It appears that you can get axles from Yukon to use with the OEM bearings. They are cut longer. After you install the factory bearing you have to cut the spline end down to get your proper length.

With the axles you have you cannot use the factory bearings as it would make the shaft too short to engage the center carrier.

It's coming back to me now, I had to do a little reading, it was a year and a half ago when I was looking at the Yukon axles.

So it's the spline end that makes a difference.
Click to expand...

never heard of this before? the green bearing was designed as a direct replacement for stock axles so why would it be a different length? now if your going from small bolt to big bolt and using big car brakes then yes the axles is a slightly different length.
 
abodyjoe said:
never heard of this before? the green bearing was designed as a direct replacement for stock axles so why would it be a different length? now if your going from small bolt to big bolt and using big car brakes then yes the axles is a slightly different length.
Click to expand...

According to Randy's Ring and Pinion, this is the case. I had to pull my notes the other day when this thread started as I couldn't remember.

What they told me is if you use their 28" a body axle with the OEM bearing it won't seat into the center section like it should. The axle that they supply (Yukon) for the a body application is 32" and after the OEM bearing is installed the axle needs to be cut on the splined end to fit.

This was over a year ago when I gathered all of this information when I was building my 8 3/4.

I dunno I can only rely on info these guys provide. I don't understand it either, if what you say about the green bearing is true then it shouldn't make a difference.
 
abodyjoe said:
never heard of this before? the green bearing was designed as a direct replacement for stock axles so why would it be a different length? now if your going from small bolt to big bolt and using big car brakes then yes the axles is a slightly different length.
Click to expand...

I just went to Mancini's site and this is what they say:


"New replacement 8 3/4 axles for A & E body cars. Made from 1050 steel material insures a quality axle. Yukon axles are made from the finest alloys and carefully heat treated using modern computer controlled hardening equipment. Deep heat treating gives Mancini Racing axles more strength and resistance to abuse. 30 spline 4.5" bolt circle.

Axles are designed to be used with Green Axle bearings. They are not cut for use with adjustable bearings.

We now offer axles with 3" long 1/2" wheel studs. Add $70.00 for this option.

NOTE: These axles are designed for use with the Auburn Gear Posi units. Please specify in the options box the type of center section you are using. Early clutch style Sure Grip posi units utilized 2 piece split spline (Inner and Outer). Auburn and MRE posi units utilize a single spline. Early A Bodys with the Sure Grip units should use the MRE87528316 longer axles."

Now that I read this it makes sense. It WAS NOT explained to me about the difference in suregrip units, that's why the difference in axle lengths.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top