The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Rear end Disassembly

I am working on cleaning this 55 1st series rear end and prepping if for a show truck, and sadly, I have never had the pleasure of taking a rear end apart before. Not on a half ton. The large trucks are easy. There is just a C clip that is exposed when you push/pull on the axle.

I HAVE seen a few shows on TV and read a few things about the exacting shimming, and precision measurements required to have a proper rear end, so I am a bit concerned about taking it apart far enough to get the axles out. Would be nice to have the axles out to properly clean everything, but I don't want to mess with the setup. Is there a way to remove the axles on a half ton without needing to recalibrate everything? Just checking before I get into this. Thanks!

1/2 tons are easy. Same C clip as you are familiar with.
No shimming.
Pull cover, pull lock bolt, pull pin, remove center block, push axles in, C clips fall off. That easy.

If you are only pulling axles there is no adjustment needed to re-install. If you pull the carrier out of the housing you will need to adjust for proper ring and pinion lash.

THANKS GUYS!! It seemed by looking at it more complicated than that. Great news!

I am contemplating removing the axles but I have another question. Are there seals on these axles that might need replaced? I worry because when I took it apart, the paint around the outside of one hub was bubbled and really wet. When cleaning, I think its just brake fluid, but the inside of the hub had a more gear oil look to it.

If there is any doubt now is the time to know! Thanks again!

Yes, there is a seal at the hub end of each axle. If the mating surface on the axle is worn/grooved where the seal "rides", you might need a repair sleeve to assure a good mating seal.

Do you know where to get these seals and repair sleeves?

I think this job just got a little bigger. I will just replace/repair both of them. Thanks!

try a FLAPS, likely NAPA would get them, the repair piece is a "speedi-sleeve"

Bill

NAPA

Seals
Wheel Seal - Rear Wheel
Part Number: NOS 18695
Product Line: NAPA Oil Seals
IMPORTANT INFO: 1st Design,w/ H033, H035 Axles

All I can find for a repair sleeve is is differential pinion repair sleeve, rear outer. Maybe someone can come up with a part number?

What does that mean "IMPORTANT INFO: 1st design, w HO33, HO35 axles"? Is there a marking on te axles??

John

If you can scare up some thin washers almost as big as the seals (similar to pinion shims)and place them behind the seal to alter the contact point the leakage may stop. IIRC one should pay attention to the orientation of the center block as axle end play is controlled by this component and that 18695 number also applies to Chicago Rawhide seals.

I took Tims advice, and we have a local NAPA parts supplier in our town, so I will know more in the morning. Apparently, he found the sleeves, seals and bearings for the axles. I am skeptical because the number was not 18695. Also he ordered two-part bearings, and from what I can see, there is only one part to the axle bearings. Im totally new to this project, so I will post more after seeing the parts in the morning. Thanks to all!

Looks like I have the axle seals, pinion sleeve, bearings and seal, and am awaiting the axle bearings and sleeves from another source (BRC). As soon as I have all of the parts, I will list them here so they aren't so hard to scare up next time.

BTW, does anyone know if you have to remove a lot of stuff to get to the pinion bearings? I am hopeful they just come right out of the yoke end. Thanks again!

The pinion has a bearing on each end. The carrier must be disassembled to replace the inner one.

If your doing pinion bearings that means you should also do the carrier bearings. Pinion bearings mean doing all that set up stuff you didn't want to do.

The pinion bearings look and feel good, so I think I will let that one go. I have a new set in case it becomes a problem. The axle ones are pitted from rust, sound dirty, and really need replaced. I pulled both sides today. Slide hammer works really well for that. Cleaning sucks, but to get into the axle housing, I just took a very long threaded rod, put two large washers and sandwiched a shop rag between the nut/washer combo and cleaned the interior. Lots of crud. By the time I am done, this poor old rear end will have a totally new lease on life.

After watching horsepower TV on a C10 rear end, I am paranoid about taking the entire pumpkin apart since they recommended tools I don't have. I think it will be alright on this one.

if you've removed the pinion nut, at minimum you must put the new crush sleeve in, putting it back together must be done by the book

Bill

make sure axle vent isn't stopped up that can blow seals by overpressurizing.

Having been a machinist for 30+ years I have collected the best of the best for measuring tools and a great deal of experience but these were not enough for me to convince myself that I could set up my new rear gears perfectly on the first try so that I would never have to go back there in my lifetime. IMO one should do it all, do it once, and if somebody who has extensive experience with it is available have them do it or even better help/watch. I paid $400 labor for bushing replacement (NOS) and all adjustments ready to install and the peace of mind was well worth it especially after extensive high speed testing.

I know right? So I think the carrier and pinion bearings look really good and I am leaving that whole can of worms alone. I don't know anyone I can trust to do it right.

Here is the main dilemma we all face these days... Nobody is taught how to do this old stuff. If you don't know a 90 year old who still has his mind and is willing to do the job, you are totally screwed. I am referring in part to the re-babbiting of the old engines. good luck on that one. Maybe the rear ends are a bit easier, but I don't know. This lack of knowledge and knowing what bad bearings sound like, leads me to just roll the dice on the idea of doing the ENTIRE job.

This is why I work so hard to make procedures and write the How-To's on everything I do. Then they are timeless. If I had the measuring tools, knowledge, etc to do this job from start to finish, NOBODY, EVER AGAIN would wonder how to do it. That's because when I write procedures, they are written for the beginner and they make things that would be impossible, POSSIBLE.

I know so many 80-90 year olds in my area who are so knowledgeable and in a few short years, ITS ALL GONE!! FOREVER. Are you arrogant enough to think its not all lost forever? Sorry, but no.. its a sad fact of the human experience, its GONE. How do we counter that fact of life? We write it down in clear concise detail. Nobody around here is willing to step up to the plate for $400. I can show you 10 mechanics that say OH SURE I CAN DO IT.. then no, they really have no clue. So happens the rear end I am working on (no jokes about what a rear end I am necessary) is fine without doing the whole thing, but I would LOVE to write a procedure on this to end it once and for all.

Is it possible to remove the 10 nuts around the housing and just remove the pumpkin that way but not have to make adjustments after? I am trying to get as much disassembly as possible for repainting everything. Axles, bearings, seals already out.

I sure wish I had the tools to do the adjustments so I could just take it all apart, but those tools look really expensive. Thanks!

For one thing anymore it is not so much about tearing a part and replacing or repairing something. Anymore it has gotten to the point that labor is so high it is cheaper to replace the whole thing than repair it. Use to be the other way around.....

John

With the axles out the pumpkin will come right out after the 10 nuts are removed.

Do you have to adjust anything after you do that?

Nope.

Thanks Dave. It is always nice when you can separate the mechanical parts from the rest so you can do a proper repaint. The old rear end I have has amazingly deep ROCK ruts all over the front of the rear end. Its beat up pretty badly. I can fix all of this cosmetic stuff, but its great to not have a pumpkin in the way.

I am replacing all gaskets.. wheel hub, rear diff cover, diff cover, oil plug. Axle bearings, and pinion, axle seals. All of the rest of the pumpkin is in great shape. Very clean. I also put speedy-sleeves on the pinion and axles. I think I have all bases covered. Using high grade (hardened) stainless steel nuts, bolts, plugs, washers, etc for the rebuild. Thanks again!

Nice webpage! I definitely bookmarked it for the future.

When you put a speedy sleeve on the pinion, you do have to set the preload.

I broke down and took the diff to a very experienced mechanic who went thru the whole thing. He put the sleeves on the axles for me too. The local jobber charged me $67 per sleeve so paying $40 total to have them installed was just a good idea. This rear end looks so immaculate it should be in a museum as its own work of art. I will post pics on my website as soon as the website is ready. Total restructure of the web site is underway.

If I did this more often, it would pay to purchase all the measuring devices and special tools used to set the lash and everything, but doing this doesn't happen very often. All new bearings, seals, gaskets, etc. So this is better than factory. Now on to the front end.

What additional tools would you need?
- a dial indicator or a digital indicator ($15 or $30)
- a dial gauge holder with magnetic base ($15)
- a tube of prussian blue ($3.00)

SWEET, what other special tools are needed?

Preload and backlash need adjusted right?

Inch pound torque wrench is a good idea for setting pinion bearing preload.

Don't know and don't care. Since I know these guys and we trade work, it only cost me $40. Sometimes its the fellowship of letting friends do the work. Makes them feel useful and me less stupid when there is something I don't understand. In this case as I always do, I watched them do the entire job. They would beg to differ on your prices. Snap-on tools are priced such that your prices above are the sales tax. Pullers and heat gun as well. Something I will for sure do next time though. Thing is, next time could be 10 years from now.

Deve,

I apologize. You indeed got a good deal, and you got it done more quickly and easily. The tools I quoted would not be needed for this job (I was thinking full R&P replacement).

The tools you mentioned are something I would buy if I did this more often, but when you take it to a real mechanic, they use high end tools that cost much more. They went thru and installed new carrier and pinion bearings, adjusted everything so this rear end is actually amazing as it looks. So far so good. As soon as I get the website code complete, there will be many pics of this adventure. I always try to remember its the journey, not the destination. I forget a lot! lol! At least we all had fun doing it!