The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Help! 2 speed rear differental problems!

I'm in the process of tearing into my 46 2 ton and I've opened up the transfer case to find a great surprise, the gears were new. Today I took the rear off the 2 speed differential and was surprised to find the gears new, or at least like new, after the guy I bought it from said it was worn out, but the problem came when I found out the driveline free spins (I turn the driveline and the gears move but don't seem to lock with the tires) at this point I tried moving the shifter knob which clicked solidly and with relative ease after removing the mud, but it still free spun. Is this correct? How do I get it to lock with the axel? Is there something broken? There are no metal shavings in the oil and everything moves smoothly with no grinding or resistance that would be expected if something was broken. Can someone explain this to me? I added pictures so hopefully they upload correctly.

It sounds like you've got a broken rear axle shaft. Pull the bolts or nuts at the center of the rear hubs that hold the axle flange in place, smack the flange hard with a sledgehammer, and the axle will pop free. It's a good idea to loosen the nuts, but not remove them altogether, to keep a missed lick with the hammer from destroying the studs. It also keeps the axle from flying across the shop when it comes loose. You'll probably find one of the axle shafts is broken.
Jerry

I've got a right side axle that I purchased for my 2ton 46, but it must have been a different manufacturer of rear ends. The hub bolt pattern was perfect but the axle was a little longer and the splines were a little smaller. So when looking for a axle be careful! If any one can use this one they can have it. Just let me know the exact length so you'll know it will work.

Hy akguy34, that diff. is a Timken double reduction, if you need to ask for parts, hope that helps.

Thank you guys I'm hoping to tear into it some more in a few days and I'll see what I see

You say you moved the shifter and something clicked. What clicked? This looks like a manual shift Timken-Wisconsin with no shift linkage. Try manually moving the lever on the rear end. It may be between high and low. The bearing you show looks to be the sliding gear bearing. I think you would hear something rattling around if you had a broken axle. Timken went to an air shift in about 1950 and there are not many of these around any more. Much less people who have worked on them before.

Yea I moved the shifter back and forth and it sounds like a normal click like gears transferring (If that makes sense) that’s the part that gets everyone that I've talked to is that there is no grinding or odd noises or shavings to indicate a broken part.

Just thinkin out loud here, I had a similar issue with my truck when it got stuck between high & low for a bit. The shifting mechanism meshes better when the drivetrain is in motion. Is the rear end jacked up with the wheels off the deck? Just thinkin you may haqve abetter shot at engaging the gear if you had one wheel on the ground, then spin the other wheel by hand and apply pressure to the shifter at the same time. Assuming nothing is missing pieces it may allow the gears to engage properly.

I'll try that but I came across a stupid answer for some of my problems, I DON'T HAVE A PASSENGER SIDE AXEL! I kicked myself when I realized what I had missed, I thought the axle was attached by the inside locked spanner nuts and not the outside bolts that actually hold it in! So my next question is would the lack of one axle cause this does it not engage when one is missing? But the driver side is again almost brand new although the pics are not very good.

Both axles must be in place before the hubs will pull. The spider gears just freewheel otherwise. It's like getting one wheel off into ice or mud- - - -no drive until both wheels have traction.
Jerry

Okay I measured the axle the best I could and came up with 37.5 inches for the missing axle which is the same as the left one but the gears don't slide in and link up when I slide the left axle in the right side it sticks out about 2.75 inches or so.

The flange is 4.75inches wide with 8 bolt holes that are 5/8th inch wide and the bolts are 1/2 inch. And there are 16 teeth in the left side axle.

Hello! I have a 1955 Chevy 6500- Series 2- tonner that did the same thing. the previous owner disconnected the vacuum lines, and ran a wire through the diaphram to control the hi/lo. if the gears didn't mesh correctly, the rear-end would freewheel since it was in neutral. I hope this information helps. You may also have a leak in your diaphram, assuming that you have a vacuum 2- speed. I fixed mine, using a semi-truck tire "boot" to replace the old diaphram material. You can check for a vacuum leak with the engine idling. If you hear air escaping from your lines or the pumpkin, you found your problem. if you don't hear any air, your plunger might need to be lubricated. Just un-bolt the 2, 9/16" bolts holding the unit to the axle, and it should pull right out(if you have enough slack in your hoses) I hope this helps. Good luck and Happy Bolting! Bill Hickey New guy 1955Chev 2nd series 6500 Series E-mail [email protected]

From the pictures looks to me like your pumpkin isn't centered you will more than likely need another size axle than what is in the other side. I know my truck has different size axles.
Have fun finding it too... chevy had a tendancy to change splines axle diameters and length every hop-stich. Some times the 2tons and 1.5 tons had the same axle some times they didn't. Lots of fun to try to find part... I know I'm still looking for mine at a reasonable price, try this link though. Through the parts manual I was able to find what years will work for my 47' http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/

However could also be the old axle broke near the splines and the end is stuck in the diff (This is what they tend to do if they break). If your lucky and have good balance you may be able to get a magnet on the end of along rod and put it down the axle tube and pull it out if not you may have to pull the diff...
Good luck...
Also had a question? Why does your truck have a transfer case is it a 4WD?

Yes: each axle are different lengths on my 46 2 ton

Hy akguy34, those measurements seem to translate to p/n 3651368, which is the axle for some two speeds and some single speed rear axles in your year range, and the parts book says there are two of them for those applications. 1947farmer mentioned that maybe you have a broken off stub to remove before you can attempt to install your new one.

well there is no part still lodged in the axle housing I looked, clear all the way through. I am finding it difficult to figure out the size of the missing side when I put the left axle in the right side it does not mesh with the gears and it sticks out about the same length as the threaded portion of the axle so I belive that the axle is the same length as the left one just with a different gear on it. I'll look harder later I've been pretty busy up here with break up.

I have no idea why there is a transfer case I looked and from what I saw there is no 4wd

Are you sure its an transfer case? It could be a power tower for something like a winch or a pump.

I'd say it's unlikely they used different splines on each axle. But can't say for sure I've only been in three of these old truck rear ends. From my research usually the axle gears are the same for each side, but I didn't look that close other than at the 47 to 57 years (which the carrier matches my truck.) Could be your gear splines are nicked up a bit not letting it slide in... If the original axle broke and it was right at the splines very possible. If so you'll need to fill the nicks smooth... Please don't try to clean them up by pounding the axle in. You will hate yourself later.
Also are the splines keyed? Meaning they will only mesh one way,(This is usually done by half cuting the groove between two splines. I haven't seen an axle like this, but I've seen it with other things such as drive shaft yokes.
You are sure the axle is not actually entering the gear right? Because you have the other sides axle out the pinion shaft will not turn, the spiders will turn on them selves, need to watch for internal gear motion... (I'm still betting on different size axles)
The transfer case thing: Do you know how this thing shifts? I put a Transfer-case in my truck to give me a high and low range of gears. Maybe another redneck job... Could be the power tower as suggested too. Does the out put shaft speed change when it's shifted?

No I'm not sure its a transfer case, I'll upload pics later and see what everyone says.

Man this rear end is making me feel really stupid! I fidled with the left axle in the right side agian and finally got it to slid in perfectly, I wasn't lining things in right and didn't want to force it and break anything. Dam I feel stupid! so I guess I'm looking for a axle 37.5 inches long the flange is 4.75inches wide with 8 bolt holes that are 5/8th inch wide and the bolts are 1/2 inch with 16 teeth.

I belive the transfer case mysterybox does have a high and low setting for axle speed.

That's how you learn, if it's the first time something became clear after the fact consider yourself lucky. I wish all the questions had come when I was 18 and had all the answers.