Is there a secret trick for installing axle shafts?

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1972DusterPaul

1972DusterPaul

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Converting my 8.75 rear to big bolt axles from Dr Diff and I can't get them to go in all the way.

They start to go in and stop with about 3/8" to go, I tried turning them a little bit and pushing (also turning them a lot)...but no luck. I can get the nuts started on the housing bolts but I really don't want to crank on those babies too hard and damage anything.

I also tried to put my original axles back in for the fun of it and I have the same results...they don't go in the all the way.

I eventually go the driver side to go in (both new and old axles) with a couple taps of the hammer, but the passenger side has no interest in playing nice.

What gives?

What am I missing.

Thanks in advance.

Paul
 
Is your 8 3/4 a sure grip? I'm thinking the inner and outer axle gears are out of line. You may have to turn the axle with a pry bar to get them to line up.
 
It is a Sure Grip, and I was thinking I might need to take the diff out and see if I can get things aligned. Just rotating the axles has done nothing.

Unfortunately nothing has been easy or straight forward with this car.

Paul
 
Put the wheel on the axle thats in all the way,, and drop it on the ground,, block it front and back..

The axle that won't go all the way in, depending on diff, may have a 2 piece side-gear that can mis-align the splines, you may be able to see a misalign,, put the axle in as far as it'll go,, get a lever long enuff to to fit thru the lugs,, and try to turn the axle/outer gear a tad at a time,, and tap the axle after each movement until it pops in..

Or,, as mentioned,, there's a button that coulda dropped out on SOME diffs, maybe have a look in there..

hope it helps..
 
Yup- sounds like your splines got misaligned when the axles were out. Some times you can use the lever approach to get them lined up. Sometimes they just wont move and you gotta take them apart and re-align the splines. I am in the same boat... and mine will not budge.

Something else just occurred to me. If you got axles with the green bearings, you might need to remove the thrust block in the clutch style sure grips. The axles no longer use each other to set the end play, and it is possible that block is preventing full engagement. But you mentioned that your old axles didn't seat anymore so it is most likely the splines.
 
X3 on sounding like the differential side gears aren't aligned properly. I have done it like Inertia explained and it works well.

Incidentally, it's much easier to leave the pumpkin bolted into the housing when you do this rather than take it out.
 
1972DusterPaul said:
It is a Sure Grip, and I was thinking I might need to take the diff out and see if I can get things aligned. Just rotating the axles has done nothing.

Unfortunately nothing has been easy or straight forward with this car.

Paul
Click to expand...

That's a Mopar for you, working on mine has always been square peg/round hole.

You'll get her fixed! :cheers:
 
Out of curiosity....what can be done in advance of, or during the axle removal to prevent the splines from mis- aligning?
 
Sounds like a good plan, knock on wood that this weekend I will have some luck!

Paul

inertia said:
Put the wheel on the axle thats in all the way,, and drop it on the ground,, block it front and back..

The axle that won't go all the way in, depending on diff, may have a 2 piece side-gear that can mis-align the splines, you may be able to see a misalign,, put the axle in as far as it'll go,, get a lever long enuff to to fit thru the lugs,, and try to turn the axle/outer gear a tad at a time,, and tap the axle after each movement until it pops in..

Or,, as mentioned,, there's a button that coulda dropped out on SOME diffs, maybe have a look in there..

hope it helps..
Click to expand...
 
emnestor said:
Out of curiosity....what can be done in advance of, or during the axle removal to prevent the splines from mis- aligning?
Click to expand...

If you remove both axles while you have the car jacked up you usually won't encounter this problem. Most of the time a problem occurs because the sg was taken apart a put back together without axles stubs( I have two cut off axles that I stick in the holes) when I am bolting the sg halves back together.
 
emnestor said:
Out of curiosity....what can be done in advance of, or during the axle removal to prevent the splines from mis- aligning?
Click to expand...

Do not turn anything when pulling axles out and you should be ok. Best way to do that is remove all axle retaining bolts and leave axles in place until they are both ready to pull out.
 
inertia said:
Put the wheel on the axle thats in all the way,, and drop it on the ground,, block it front and back..

The axle that won't go all the way in, depending on diff, may have a 2 piece side-gear that can mis-align the splines, you may be able to see a misalign,, put the axle in as far as it'll go,, get a lever long enuff to to fit thru the lugs,, and try to turn the axle/outer gear a tad at a time,, and tap the axle after each movement until it pops in..

Or,, as mentioned,, there's a button that coulda dropped out on SOME diffs, maybe have a look in there..

hope it helps..
Click to expand...
I cannot thank you guys enough..did a green bearing swap, 489 SG with 294 gears and could not get the right axle back in..

Looked at this thread, placed pry bar thru the lugs on the left side, placed a pry bar on the right side and was able to turn it enough to get the axle in..

As usual the FABO gang comes thru for me.


Bruce
 
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