The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Axle shim at outer wheel bearing

I have a 52' torque tube. I pulled the outer axle bearing and seal and there was shim amongst the bearing and seal, but I do not recall the order of how they were arranged upon removal. The "Book" says that it is there to establish a maximum gap of .014" between the end of the axle shaft and the "block spacer" in the center of the differential.
I am guessing that it goes between the seal and the wheel bearing.

Carl, I'm away from my resource books, but the Rear axle exploded diagram from the 1929-57 Chevy Master parts book might help in remembering what goes where. It shows more detail than the shop manual.

I don’t recall a shim at the axle bearing. And I don’t see how it would do anything to position the axle. That’s done by the c-clips in the differential. The only place a shim would change the clearance between the block and the axle ends is alongside the c-clips.

There is a washer that is installed prior to the bearing. There is a shoulder in the axle housing that this washer sits on. My guess is it’s there to prevent the bearing from being pushed in when you install the axle. I have them in mine and I made a drawing of that whole assembly when I machined my axles to install ‘37 Buick inner bearing sleeves which match the OD of the original axle effectively creating a new surface for the bearing and seal to ride on. Here is that drawing with the washer highlighted in red.

The Chevrolet Truck Repair Manual lists the different shims available, but has no diagrams as to where it goes.
Its purpose is to ensure that there is specified end play between the inside end of the axle shaft and the block in the center of the carrier (.014"). If gap is nonexistent, you'll have too much contact with the block. if you have excess end play from too thick of a shim, the shaft end would likely hammer that block pretty good, or the c-clip could fall out.
They state that it is very important that the end of the axle shaft needs to be smooth. This indicates to me is that there is normally some contact between the end of the axle shaft and the block. I have seen evidence of this on every block I have removed from a number of torque tube axles.

The fact that this diagram spans from '29-'57 concerns me. There were a lot of changes in design over that long period of time to be represented by one diagram.
There is a 5.816 retainer that I have no idea what it does.
It refers to a "race" which I can only assume is the same as a roller bearing.
It also refers to a "deflector" which is located inboard of the curious "5.816 retainer" confusing me further based on what I took out of my axle.

I went ahead and put the shim between the wheel bearing and the seal. It will locate the end of the shaft at the same location at the block as it would if I put the shim inboard of the bearing. When the next guy uses a slide hammer to remove the bearing, he will be hammer against the bearing and not a shim. Of course I will be dead by the time that needs to be done hopefully.

To get a gap of no more than .014" between the end of the axle shaft and the "block spacer" they have three sizes of axle shaft spacers (blocks). 5.422 in Gdads51 Attachment.

54 shop manual

"10. Install spacer in place."
My question is Where is the place?

Between the two spider gears.
Look at Fig 3 and Fig 5 in the 54-shop manual it shows the axle shaft SPACER that is referred to in step 9 and 10.

The spacer that I have on a 52 axle is the diameter of the outer wheel bearing. I removed it from that general area. I just don't recall if it was between the bearing and the housing, or between the bearing and the outer axle seal.

It goes into the axle housing first behind the bearing, then the bearing, then the seal. That was the way mine came apart and I believe it was untouched before I took it apart.

Thanks Phil!

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