The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1946 2 Ton Rear Axle Bolts

Rear axle bolts will not stay tight. Threads on bolts look worn.
My thought is the reason the bolts keep loosening up.

I tried looking for the bolt size on the Chevy Master Manual.
Though I could not find it. The truck is a little over an hour from my house.
If I can not find the exact same length bolt will a longer bolt be ok?
How much extra length will be too long?
Does anyone know of a good source for New bolts?

Does anyone know where I can buy new axle flange gaskets?

Which "Rear axle bolts will not stay tight"???

From your most recent thread on your rear wheels, with the lug holes worn into slots instead of round holes, it appears you're asking about the wheel lug studs and lug nuts, yes?

On the axle flange gaskets, the ones you need are for the outer axle to hub surface?

Separate issue. The wheels and lugs have been taken care of.
New problem: outer axle flange bolts keep loosening up.
I believe the threads are worn out on the axle flange bolts.
Being the truck is an hour away I would like to bring the correct
sized new bolts to replace the old (I guess original bolts).
Yes the gaskets are for the outer axle to the hub surface.

Jeffrey - I took a longer look into your previous threads and it looks like this is a continuing problem that you reported and asked for help on back in 2017.

Also, looking at your recent previous thread on the wheels, and the picture that 'Bolter "Fibonachu" posted of your axle, it appears the tabs on your axle bolt lock plates are all broken off. Those were meant to be bent to engage the bolt heads after the bolts are torqued, to prevent them from backing out.

Here's what I found for bolt and lock plate info in various Chevy Master Parts Books:

Parts Group 5.422 - Bolt (1/2 - 13 x 1-11/32"): GM# 3653927 -- I could not find any of these original GM bolts being offered on the web currently. You should be able to find a suitable replacement (after checking bolt hole depth to know if you can go longer than listed bolt dimension) from McMaster-Carr.

Parts Group 5.422 - Lock, bolt (tangs on face for 1/2 bolt): GM# 3653926 -- I actually found a pair offered currently on eBay, but here's an even better deal on Boxes of 4 GM 3653926 Plates. That seller indicates they have 3 boxes of 4, so you could even stock up.

On the axle flange gaskets, their listed as GM# 3653928 - Gasket, rear hub with 1/2 axle bolts -- What it doesn't mention is what material the gasket are made of. A web search located some NOS GM# 3653928 Gaskets available, on ebay in a qty of 1 and here at Olds Obsolete. Pictures of the NOS pieces show these are actually aluminum, which surprised me. The second ad doesn't indicate an available quantity, but does say in stock.

Hope this info provides help in resolving your constantly loosening bolt situation.

PS - Pictures added below for future reference should others need similar info.

A big thank you for now.

Check the threads in the hubs for looseness as well as the condition of the bolt threads. If looseness isn't addressed quickly once it happens, both the male and female threads will wear, and no amount of tightening (or the imaginary benefit of lock tabs) will solve the problem. Recondition the threads in the hub with Heli-Coils, and find a suitable size and length new bolt to minimize any sloppy fit. I believe the proper bolts will have a short, smooth shoulder where the bolts contact the axle flange to prevent any relative movement associated with a threaded area of the bolt working against the flange. A piece of soft aluminum sheet metal and a little work will allow you to fabricate flange gaskets.
Jerry

MY truck had one of the axles welded on the hub when I purchased it 22 years ago. It must have been the wrong axle, but fit in the diff properly. I ground off the weld and drilled a bolt circle in it. Then found another set of bolts in a junk yard. (The truck I got the bolts off of wasn't a 2 speed diff. like mine so I couldn't use the axle). I've never had a problem with it in over4000 miles and I just used sealant, (no gaskets). I would definitely find factory bolts!

I ordered the lock rings and the gaskets.

This was in 2015. I remember encountering the lock rings for the first time.
The tangs on the lock rings broke when removing them. I had no idea where
to get new ones. So I used lock washers. Which we now know that they did not
do a good job of replacing the lock rings.

Back then I thought that the threads on the original bolts appeared to be
abnormally sharp at the time.
Jeffrey

I'm late to the party but here is an old school fix if you have decent, but not perfect, threads in the hub. Replace the bolts with studs. The studs need to be long enough for two nuts, a lock plate ring (no tabs required), and lock washers. Secure the axle with a set of nuts. Next, install the plate, then lock washers and the second set of nuts. This locks all the studs to the plate so none of them can loosen.

Mike