One of the guys just brought his axle to show me. Ford 9" that the axle has walked out of the bearing. He has replaced the axle once already because he lost it.. Yep Axle came out of the bearing that time too, so he pulled the other side and saw the axle had started to walk out of the bearing. NOW it has done it again after he replaced both axles and bearings. Totally has got to be something wrong.. The bearing and lock show no heat damage. Measure the axle and bearing looks like about a .002 interference fit on the bearing and lock. Keep in mind this is his second set of axles. They are doing the same thing as his original axles. Car is an aftermarket chassis under a 36 GM Sedan. Runs 10" wide rear wheels and tires. axle housing was checked for straight and true- Car has been in an alignment shop to check rear axle square to the frame.
I have seen guys who put a small weld in a couple of places on the retainment ring, but I would't personally do that with aftermarket ($$$) axles. Are the rings completely concentric? Other than being too large, that would be my only guess. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Any chance the bearing & retainer were pressed on together ? That will cause the problem. You don't want to weld on an axle shaft - it will fail.
Really ? Definitely will fail with no exceptions? We welded the rings on all of our stock car axles for years with no failures and we put them through a lot more punishment than a street car ever could. A tack weld on both sides to hold the retainer ring in place on O style GM 10 bolts. We also weld a double plate on the axle flange to keep them from flexing.
I tacked the ring on a C/MP Vette for a friend. 9.70 car .Didn't fail. Doesn't fix the problem though. Whatever it is, it'll show itself eventually, if the bearing stays on. Wheels been on a spin balancer , and checked for runout?
Whose axles? and bearings? As far as tack welding the wedding band, I have seen broken axles from the tackwelds. There is no doubt about it, it broke right at the weld and you could see radial lines, like tree rings, emitting from each tack radiating into the metal. We used to tack them until I saw that, around the same time we got a memo from Strange Engineering advising against tack welding - it was common practice. I'd say that was back in the mid '80's. Those axles were drag race. In this case I'd reseat the bearings, wedding band and give them 3 tacks, reassemble and see what happens. I'd be very interest whose axles and where you got the bearings. I'm thinking they came as a set, so it'd be beneficial that others should know to stay away from them. I've seen a lot of really cheap rears on ebay lately.
There is a product that I have used called Bearing Mount, I think it's made by LocTite and available at Caterpillar dealers, specifically formulated to glue bearing races on shafts. I've had good luck with it in heavy equipment applications when bearings have just a little too much clearance.
that's a stock ford axle i think the Axel mite be a hare to long and with that cal bracket it is pushing on the bearing instead of just retaining it and it working like a press putting preacher on it and pushing it off
In my example, they were probably Strange, or MW. It wasn't my idea, but I did think the metallurgy would allow for it. Would want to count on it on stock type axles on anything with power. Not after seeing what they look like inside after breaking at the splines. Still, the question is ..Two sets of bearings and axles. One would think something else is causing it.
A wheel with runout will act as a slide hammer and will work an Axle right out of a proper fitting wedding ring. It took me 2 times with same issue to find that out. Time to get out the dial indicator and check your wheels. A well balanced wheel/tire will not fix a runout issue. The Wizzard
Is retaining ring properly supported when it is being pressed on or are you just using two support blocks on two edges ? Been there done that !!
One thing I would check. Put a bearing in the housing without the axle. Put the caliper/ retainer on and see if there is any clearance between the retainer and bearing. Make sure the bearing is fully seated in the housing. It looks like that caliper bracket has a pretty deep pocket for the bearing... May be allowing the bearing to move enough to act like a slide hammer. You have to remember that if you are using a tapered axle bearing the retainer puts a bit of pressure on the race for preload. If ball bearing... It just keeps it in place. Sent from my Moto G Play using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
great way to create a stress riser from the weld shrinking when it cools and shear the axle . its like using a chisel to seat the ring and swedging the axle material around it . your lucky if none have broke . if your going to weld braze it as it doesn't melt the base metal and silcon braze is very strong when done right .
Any chance the housing is bent or deformed by welding brackets to it. If it's out of alignment perhaps the bearing is overheating, shrinking a bit and walking it self out.
I have made retaining rings for axles using a larger outside diameter 1045 cold rolled steel and as wide as will fit on the axle surface with a 4 thousandths press fit. Some guys used 2 of the regular retaining rings on the left axle.
What's the proper interference for the bearing? Wonder if the replacements are manufactured to metric specs and a little off? I've rebuilt a number of vintage blower snouts and get my bearings from the local supply place and they seem to measure everything in metric. Will press off the old one at times and the replacement will be a near slip fit. Not a big deal with a retaining clip.
Yep well my 10 bolt Chevy did the axle walk today.... right on a blind bend on the road to Raglan NZ. Loss of drive going up hill I had 3 secs to decide on the stop plan..... either block the lane or dive to the other side of the road. I chose the latter, not probably the smartest thing but we just made it to the edge of the lane. Of course I didn't know what was happening blown transmission or what in the split moment. When we stopped my offside drive wheel was 2 feet away from the car axle still in housing, so no undercarriage damage thank goodness. I rang 08ooAA and the nice chap with a recovery truck picked me up and brought me home. I certainly dodged a bullet today [ story of my life. yep I attract stuff like this]. Plan... pull bearing retainer and retrieve oversize lock ring and get a new interference fit replacement [.005?]... then [ don't?]tack weld it, just lock tight the new one on the axle. Pull the driver side non drive axle and do that one too before it breaks out as a coupe de grass... Get a LSD ???? although the car would have dropped onto the road if the axle had completely come out.. Its amazing how complacent you can feel when your car is running well and then Bam in a second something happens and your in the brown runny stuff. The lady of the house's Mustang finally convinced me it has blown a head gasket last night as well.... so the day was nuked starting from last night when she pulled out of our annual club run due to a stangtrum..... Ill say no more. I love our cars when they are running.. It was a nice sunny day today so that was a good change and great company with the HHRC on the memorial run [ part of for me]
Retaining ring is a bit to large . If properly seated and correct size it isn't moving if it had a caliper bracket or not . Green bearing retainer is good stuff , but it's a bandaid ! Find the issue and green snot to good parts and never look back , Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I'd double check the retainer ID with a more precise tool, expecting to find an explanation there. These guys found considerably more than 0.002" interference. http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/59866-Axle-bearing-retainer-press-fit-question https://www.tapatalk.com/topic/585978-90891 Sadly, no spec here - http://www.skf.com/binary/81-61236/457809.pdf
IF you read Butch's statement he said weld the ring not the axle welds on the ring will tend to shrink it and will make is tighter.
Hey chaps. My axle is worn on the bearing surface and where the lock ring was seated. I have done my best to identify the diff but am still struggling to be sure of its origin. I think its a 66 Pontiac because of the number on the left rear of the diff carrier. the scalloped diff cover makes it BOP. I can't find any numbers on the axle tubes and I still need to measure the brake flange to flange distance so that I can buy some new axles. its leaf sprung not coil They are 28 spline and this is a flange retained axle inboard seal, so likely pre 1970?. Let me know if you can confirm or deny. Most of the web info I have doesn't fully identify the diff so far, I am also guessing its an 8.2 and my 350 with TH 400 runs about 2200 rpm at 60 mph Thanks
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