Nine Inch Ford Axle question

I am installing a new shortened 9" Ford housing with matching cut axles and bearings from Johns Industries. When I install the axles the bearing hangs out about 1/8 " from the housing, I thought it should be flush. When I tighten the 4 retaining T bolts to the backing plate and the flange the axle will not turn. Any body have this problem before. Thanks

 

No, but if John's won't stand behind them, whip up a pair of 3/16ths spacers to take the load off the bearings.

 

Measure the width of the axle bearing vs the depth where the bearing goes into the housing. If that is okay then the axle would turn if the center section was not in place. The axle could be too long. A little work on the spline end of the axle with a grinder should cure the problem.

 

Thanks, this is a fresh problem so I could not get hold of Johns because of the pending holidays. I guess my main question is should the end bearings fit flush into the housing?

 

The backing plate is 1/8" thick and should have a centre hole the same diameter as the OD of the bearing that is sticking out of the axel housing.

 

I did that and it appears the bearing is about 1/8 wider than the housing.

 

What HemiDeuce said,
Sounds as if they didnt allow enough space for the crosspin in the carrier.
We leave a 1in. space between the axles. The axles can be shortened with a chopsaw.

 

get ahold of Johns they will take care of you good people I have been dealing with them for years and they have helped me alot with things that were not even their fault. Good company and we need more like them RED

 

Yes Thanks, I am sure they will but I thought I might be able to solve it myself.

 

The axle bearing is supposed to hang out about an 1/8 inch, the backing plate aligns on it and is an 1/8 to 3/16ths inch thick, did you check to see if the bearing lock ring is hitting the seal? There are thick and thin wedding rings put a little grease on the face of the wedding ring and put the axle in and see if it puts grease on the face of the seal.

 

If your new bearings have "O" ring seals and you still have inner seals in the housing ends it will give a .30 interference and do exactly what you are talking about. When you tighten the four T bolts it draws the axle bearings into the inner seal.
If this is the case then remove inner seals and clean the housing ends, apply a then coat of RTV and slip the axles in with the "O" rings still on the bearings.

 

Friend just had this same issue. The splines werent cut far enough on the axles and they bottomed out before the axle seated in the flange.

 

Are the axle seals seated all the way in the housing? I have found that it can be difficult to get the seal all the way in, thus not leaving enough room for the bearing.

 

He hasn’t said what style he has … being all new they are probably what are commonly called Torino style … no seal in the housing.

 

The problem I have is the backing plate does not set up on the axle bearing, the axle retaining plate is between the backing plate and the bearing. When tightening up the T bolts, the retaining plate which is flat seems to put too much pressure on the bearing not allowing the axle to turn freely. I placed 4 washers temporarily between the axle housing and the retainer plate taking up the 1/8" that the bearing hangs out and the axle turns freely. I am still going to talk to JOHNS INDUSTRIES about this but it seems to me the answer is to make up another spacer plate to take the place of the washers?????????

 

From the outside it should be retaining plate then brake backplate then bearing, the large centre hole in the brake backplate should sit on the exposed part of the bearing to locate it.

 

Do you have the backing plates installed?

 

Had that happen once also. Just turn or grind 1/8 off splined end. There is enough slpine lenght it will never know its gone.

 

The axles are too long

 

Why would you put the backing plate on the outside of the bearing retainer? I have done a lot of Ford rears and never seen one like that.

 

iT IS NORMAL...........DON'T SWEAT IT........THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THAT WAY...THE BEARING STICKS OUT ABOUT 1/4 INCH...THE BACKING PLATE ON DRUM BRAKES USES UP SOME OF THE SPACE...MOST DISC SETUPS ARE BUILT TO COVER THIS OFFSET......AND THE RETAINERS FROM MOST AXLE BUILDERS ARE PUT ON AND HAVE A SPACE WHEN TIGHTENED WITHOUT ANY OTHER SPACER IN THERE...

RELAX

Mark

 

The retainers go in the OUTSIDE of the backing plate, not the other way around.

 

I just read this, here is the problem. Please look at a motor manual before trying to re-***emble the rear end.

 

The backing plate is set on the bolts in the axle flange and the whole axle/bearing ***embly is then inserted into the axle on every one I've worked on. Exactly like the drawing that Gimpyshotrods showed.