Rear Axle

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pressedham

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Jul 27, 2004
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Just put new bearings on rear axle of 68 cuda.
The right side has an adjuster to take up slack
but the left side doesnt.
It has about an 1" play
How do you adjust this.
 
If you have 1" of play, you have bigger problems. All of the end play is taken up by the one adjuster. The axles butt up to each other through a small button inside the differential. You would have to pull the pumpkin out to see it. Might be able to see it with a flashlight looking down the axle tube with the axle removed.

This will apply if you have an early style suregrip. In the early style sure grip (also call the dana powerlock) which you car would have came with (if it had a sure grip) has a two piece button unit held together with a small pin. My bet is the pin has broken and the two pieces have fallen into the bottom of the diff housing. If you look in the differential where the axles go in the splines and see a 3/8" hole through to the other side, the button has fallen out and are sitting in the bottom of the housing. You can fix them with a roll pin. Or if you don't have them I think they are still available from mopar. I can get the part number if that is the case.

Other unlikely possibilities are: axles too short, or backing plate/bearing retainer/bearing not fully seated into housing.

Hope this helps. If you need anymore help trying to figure this out ask away.
 
Thanks
Will take a look tonight.
Are you saying that
by adjusting the right side it automatically brings in the left.
 
Exactly. It is kinda like tightening your front spindle nut. Same principle. Two tapered roller bearings at each end. The only difference is the bearing tappers are reversed and the "nut" (adjustor) pushes on the bearing race instead of the bearing itself

I usually put the non adjustable axle in and tighten the retainer. Then put the adjustable axle in with the adjustor backed off and the retainer tigthened down. Take a sledge hammer and a wooden block and give a light whack (not too hard!!! don't want to break the retainer) to the center of the adjusting side axle. This will seat the bearing races in the housing. Then start adjusting until you can just pull the axle back and forth a little. Use a long punch and a hammer to do this. I think the spec is 0.008"-0.020" end play. But you can do it by feel. Don't forget to put on the lock that goes under one retainer stud.
 
Took rear end apart and found that the bearing
on the non adjusting side had split, so it wouldnt seit right.
Was out just enough to cause grief.
By using your method it worked out perfect.
The bearing seated perfect and all is well
in Cuda land.
Now to put all this back on the car.
Thanks
 
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