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Technical 9" damaged axle help.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by j.d.roost, Jun 8, 2023.

  1. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    Could use some advice here. My Versailles rear has been leaking and I found this horrible seal surface when I pulled the stock axle.
    Is this repairable? I found a redi sleeve that I thought would work but destroyed it last night when trying to make it fit.
    Don't really have the $$ to buy a new axle.
    Appreciate the help in advance. 16862243288275027806702828114309.jpg
     
  2. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 14,697

    Budget36
    Member

    Maybe easiest to go with Strange, etc and have them make you a new axle?
     
  3. Two thoughts.....take it to a machine shop,and have them do the redi sleeve,or heat the sleeve to 200 degrees,and see if it gets big enough to drop on easier with out damage.
     
    VANDENPLAS and '28phonebooth like this.
  4. TA DAD
    Joined: Mar 2, 2014
    Posts: 1,443

    TA DAD
    Member
    from NC

    To get by you might run less oil to keep it out of the tubes and make sure vent is open and run a bead of RTV around the inside of the housing end before putting the axle in. A true hack fix , but hey it might work !
     
    427 sleeper likes this.
  5. If you tried doing the redi-sleeve cool and dry, and I have done it myself, maybe do as @irishsteve suggested, and heat the sleeve first. If you can cool the axle with ice pack ahead of time as well, do that as well. Less expensive than trying to find new axle.
    The other thing you could do, is polish the seal surface of axle down, and find a seal that will ride on the new smaller diameter.
     
    Slow down likes this.
  6. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 20,521

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Don't ruin two or three more weekends by bandaiding it, just fix it, you might even consider replacing it as many parts for the Versailles rear are hard to find.
     
    Nailhead Jason likes this.
  7. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    Thanks for the ideas and help guys.
    I am going to try a sleeve one more time with some heat and better tooling than a pipe to install it. The issue I think is the sleeve max dimensions are the dimensions of the surface...so its a hard fit. Will try and clean it up a bit more.
    Obviously it's a band aid...but really my only choice at this point.
    I honestly would like to ditch the Versailles rear anyway (it's been a bit troublesome for me).
     
  8. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 4,838

    ekimneirbo

    Check closely for any high spot or minor burring and smooth them. Dress the edges to insure a roundish edge and maybe even a slight taper at the edge to aid in pressing the parts together.
     
    LWEL9226 and Algoma56 like this.
  9. The Versailles disc brake rear axle was one of Ford's first attempts at OEM rear discs and while they were initially popular with the hot rod set, fell out of favor rather quickly when the myriad issues they had became known. Never common, parts were discontinued rather quickly and the calipers were troublesome. Expensive to repair or replace parts.

    I'd look for an 8.8 replacement. Nearly as strong, lighter and much better design discs.
     
    loudbang and jimmy six like this.
  10. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,331

    sunbeam
    Member

  11. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

  12. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    Looking into this as well.
    I actually have one but it's from a 2005 and way too wide. The good part is it's a 31 spline posi unit...so internally has the good bits.
    The Explorer rear shortened is a bit too narrow.
    My width window with the wheels I am using is a fine line between leaf springs and body rubbing.
    Rear needs to be 58 to max 58.75 wheel surface to wheel surface.
     
  13. Kevin Ardinger
    Joined: Aug 31, 2019
    Posts: 926

    Kevin Ardinger
    Member

    Something doesn’t seem right to me. There’s not enough surface there for a seal. Are you sure that retainer and bearing is correct? I’m thinking it should be no seal in the housing but rather an o ring on the outer race of the sealed bearing.
     
    seb fontana likes this.
  14. Ranger pickup with 4.0 engines used 8.8 axles that are 58.5" wide. 1993-2009 had drum brakes, 2010 and 2011 discs. Most were 28 spline. I believe the pinion is not centered though.
     
    Lloyd's paint & glass likes this.
  15. inthweedz
    Joined: Mar 29, 2011
    Posts: 610

    inthweedz
    Member

    I agree with '"sunbeam" a sealed bearing with an outer ''O ring" will solve your problem. The rough axle is factory, and unless it's machined flat all round for a speedi sleave, it'll never run true to seal..
     
  16. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    Correct parts...its just all corroded. Other side has more "shine" to it.
    Versailles is a strange setup. Big bearings with the inner tube seal, bearing and retainer and another seal in the cast caliper bracket/endplate.
     
  17. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,608

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Like mentioned, there are some nine inch bearings that have seals built it!






    Bones
     
    deathrowdave likes this.
  18. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,980

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Before those years they were 56.5" wide.
     
  19. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 5,079

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I just bought an 8.8 out of a 2001 Ranger, 4.10 gears and limited slip. 58.5" wide.
     
    gimpyshotrods likes this.
  20. deathrowdave
    Joined: May 27, 2014
    Posts: 4,194

    deathrowdave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NKy

    3 ways to repair :
    1 new axle
    2 bearing with o ring seal on the OD
    3 F150 style roller bearing and seal
     
    alanp561 likes this.
  21. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,370

    manyolcars

    this looks like one of those places where JB Weld can do a perfectly satisfactory surface for a grease seal. I have done it and it holds up well for many years
     
  22. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    I am in the process of cleaning up the surface now. Had to use JB to fill in some of the gouges on the surface and must say it's looking "ok" for a fix. Hoping it will fit on the lathe that's over my moms house so I can get it round again. I also need to check into the dimensions of that Speedway sealed bearing. I think the inner i.d. is slightly different over the Versailles bearing. The lock collar is also about half the width of the Versailles one (not sure if that's an issue).
    I really appreciate all the help with this guys. My pop was an old school guy and would have had this fixed in 5 minutes for me (along with the project car we never got to finish together). So I am trying my best to learn what I can on the fly and on a tight budget.
     
    saltflats and Algoma56 like this.
  23. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,969

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    I think it was Locktite that makes a liquid just for the purpose of filling in grooves like that. I know when I had my semi trucks we ran into axles that the seal had grooved them, and the mechanic used some kind of thick liquid or paste in the grooves to fill them in. He just rubbed it on smooth with his finger and it dried hard. Never had a seal leak after using it. Might have been some kind of epoxy, I can’t remember right now, been a while back. I do good to remember what I did yesterday sometimes, LOL!
     
    Algoma56 likes this.
  24. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    20230610_121320.jpg 20230610_133831.jpg
    Don't tell the wife!
    Boiled the sleeve and froze the axle.
    Used the press this time as well.
    Debating on if I am leaving the flange on the sleeve or not.
     
  25. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 14,697

    Budget36
    Member

    If it fits in the lathe, do you have a welder? Or an OA setup and braze it?
     
  26. Don't worry about the flange, until you need to.
     
  27. j.d.roost
    Joined: May 11, 2008
    Posts: 20

    j.d.roost
    Member
    from Ne.PA

    It was too long to fit in the lathe with the tailstock/center thing. The cutting end of the lathe would not reach the end of the shaft to cut a weldover/cut.
    I got it chucked up enough and supported to sand down the epoxy as level as I could and install the sleeve.
    The lathe was always off limits to me so I was doing my best to not mess it up...lol.
     
    saltflats and Budget36 like this.
  28. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 14,697

    Budget36
    Member

    Well, what you could do if so inclined( and maybe score a meal from mom) is smooth out the hub end, then center pilot it if you have a live center for the tail stock. Then you are “turning between centers” and can approach the cut from hub end in.
     

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