OT: axle removal (technical assistance for Chevy)

Hi guys and girls,

Good day to everyone. I hate to be a burden but I do need some assistance of a mechanical nature. I am trying to pull the axles from my `62 Chevy and I am not having much success. This may be off-topic, but I thought the WERA board may be the right place due to the fact that the Chevy is what I pull my RD-400 with. I also posted this in Vintage.

Part of my problem is that I have never done this before so I don't know what to expect. Step one said "remove the axles", step 2 was "remove the diff carrier". Basically, the manual says to unbolt the rear axle bearings, bolt a slide hammer to the lugs on the hub, and use the slide hammer to "Extract" the axles. I've tried this with a friend's "body-shop" slide hammer. It is a relatively small unit and its weight is probably a pound. I cannot get the axles to pull out at all. Do I just need a bigger slide hammer?

Even though I couldn't get the axles to pull I still wanted to progress a bit. So I loosened all the bolts that hold the differential assembly onto the rear axle housing thinking that now the oil would start to drain out (in preparation for removal). But no oil flowed. I tapped on the diff carrier with a hammer but I could not get it to move or break the seal to allow the oil to drain. Any ideas what I am doing wrong here? Do the axles need to be removed before this thing will even budge?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

-John

 

I'm no Chevy mechanic. But this is basic.
The Pumpkin(carrier) in the middle of the axle facing forward should come loose, but not out. Get a bigger hammer in both instances.

I know that some axles have C-clips on the ends to keep them from 'walking out' when the brgs. go bad. If you have an inspection cover on the back of the axle housing, pull it off and look for those.

Get a better manual if this isn't helpful. You can even get it online at chiltons, alldata,haynes, etc.

 

I'm almost positive that there are C clips in there. If they are removed you probably won't even need the slide hammer. It has been years since I've helped with one of these.

 

did a stint as an auto mechanic while in school and every rear axle i pulled out had some parts holding the axles from sliding out at the end of the axle in the diff. most had the c-clips mentioned by the other two guys. can't remeber the specifics, as it varies from vehicle to vehicle, but get those clips out and the axles will slide right out of the rear axle housing. that's why you can grab the tire on a rear wheel drive car/truck (in the air) and pull in and out and there will be inward and outward play. that's the axles hitting the c-clips in the rear diff. on the outward pull. the bearings don't hold the axles in. make sure to lube the bearings with whatever kind of fluid's in the diff. and fill it up, i saw an ugly oopsy where the guy didn't get enough grease on the rear bearings and they melted about 15 miles down the road. the whole axle, housing, bearing and everything melted together and looked like laffy taffy twisted off at the end, bad news on a 1 ton dually.

 

Hi Guys, thank you very much for all your feedback.

Yes, I too, was familiar with the circlips and I think this is why I am confused. From reading my `62 manual there are no circlips, but I became concerned at how much "hammering" it was taking and nothing was moving. This axle is a bit different in that the differential assembly pulls out from the FRONT of the rear axle housing. There is no cover on the rear of the housing and the diff is designed to be removed as a unit, much like a cassette. Which would be freakin' handy if I could just get it out of there, hehehe! The axles, via their bearings, are held to the rear hubs by 4 bolts, and there is no mention of any internal clips. I think I'll just try a bigger hammer, ha! But thanks again... I really appreciate it guys!

Cheers,

John

 

sorry, i'm not familiar with the old schoolers. good luck!:up: