The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1955 chevy 6400 first timken rear axle

I'm confused 🤔 I'm looking in my chevy 1 1/2 -2 1/2 ton chassis and body catalog. It has 2 different exploded diagrams of the axle. Page 5-39 is listed as 1 1/2 -2 ton drum and hub. Page 5-40 lists eaton and timken rear disc. wheel and hub. My axle is a timken 2 speed vacuum actuated. Which diagram should I be using? The first diagram shows a gasket between the hub and brake drum, timken diagram doesn't. is that gasket necessary? I'm rebuilding both hubs so I need the right part numbers. When I pulled the rims the gasket was between the rim and brake drum?? Gasket is chevy #3681204

Are you sure you have a Timken rear? Every 2-ton Chevrolet truck I've ever seen from the 1950's had a 15,000# Corporate Chevrolet rear.

Post a picture of what you have and the pages from the book...we all don't have the same books, so page numbers don't help.

Where did you get/find the gasket part number?

Mike B

The only gasket I know of would be between the hub and axle shaft flange or the hub and axle oil/grease cap depending on the style of axle end. Mine has splines on both ends of the axle shaft with a gasket and bolt on cover at the hub, I made my own gaskets with a light Fel-Pro paper.

No mike, I'm not sure. Remember, I'm confused 😕 The previous owner told me it's a timken. I cleaned the top of the pinion housing and got these numbers. YD194 A1C 436670 below that 9 94D. 886. I pulled the hub cover and it doesn't have the double seal as shown for the timken and eaton so I think your right, it's a corporate axle. Here's the diagrams.

Here's a shot of the axle/hub for the 1-1/2 or 2 ton rear axle. It's the only one listed in the 55 2nd series truck shop manual. If your axles are splined on the outer end, then you have a Chevy axle. If it's got flanged axle ends, then it may be an Eaton/Timken axle.

You have a Chevrolet rear per your axle code YD194...revisit your axle and confirm the "9" in the code...I believe it's either a 0, 1 or 2.

YD = 1955 1st Series made at the Detroit Axle Plant... 5-6000 Series, RPO 210 2-speed (8.86/6.70 ratio)
1 = January (month)
x4 = day

Mike B

Definitely a chevy built axle. I found the hub cover gaskets at oldobsolete.com but they don't have the gasket that goes between the hub and brake drum. Part #3681204 anybody know where I can get those gaskets? Did a Google search and found nothing.

Chevy's till Id Might as well get out your little gasket hammer and pound out a pair. On the axle flanges that I think are soft aluminum,it' seemed to me that they held the best put togrther dry. When gasket maker came out it would make those seep. This was on trucks that were really loaded and working hard. Always tried to use new gaskets too !

If it's GM corporate axle I don't think you have a gasket between the hub and drum. Mine doe's not have it, only the hub cover gasket and the differential gaskets.

The diagram for the axle shows it but I'm wondering if it's necessary. The timken and eaton axles don't use one. It's a thin paper gasket. Like I wrote earlier someone had mistakingly put it between the brake drum and the inner wheel. I guess if the inner hub seal leaked you could get oil onto the the inside of the brake drum. That's the only purpose I can see for it.