I finished installing the axles and closing up the rear end. After installing the bearing and grease seal on the passenger side, I tried installing the axle. It wouldn’t slide all the way in so I pulled it back out and tried the drivers side uninstalled new bearing and found it was a bit tight. I had previously tried the old bearings and they fit perfectly, so I wasn’t expecting a problem. With the .0005”-.001 press fit, it expanded the OD of the sleeve an equal amount. Back to the lathe with 400 grit sandpaper on a flat file. I polished the axle sleeve until I got the bearing to just slide on easily. I kept a tab on things with a micrometer. I only removed about .001” to get a perfect fit. I checked the drivers side and had to do a bit of polishing on that sleeve also. Once this was done, both shafts installed perfectly. I feel good about this repair and believe it’s going to work, but only time will tell. After reinstalling the rear cover and filling it with 90 weight oil, I turned the axles and it sounded nice and quiet.
I’m going write up a “Tech Tip” to submit and want to thank all those (especially Dusty) who had a hand in making this happen!
Last edited by Phak1; 10/22/2020 10:28 PM.
