Axle shaft disassembly

[Husker]

Anyone have any tips on taking apart the 1/2 shafts I removed all my ujoints with my press and want to take them apart to clean and get all the old grease out

[Fil Bonica]

Soak the jonts in oil or pb blaster to ease removal.

Fil Bonica

[Husker]

Same with the axle? I'm trying to get the big ring off so I can separate the 2 shafts

[m3a1]

See my thread Waking Up a Texas M151A2 under Restoration Projects. It's explained in detail there...with photos.

Also see my thread Alley Cat 151 under Restoration Projects. Page 6, I believe.\

Pay special attention to making sure the little valve is clear, clean, and unobstructed. It is located on the female end, centered beneath the universal joint and it is what keeps your shafts from hydro-locking. That valve is key to the shafts being able to shorten and lengthen. Do not over-lubricate axle shafts.

Cheers,
TJ

[Husker]

Just read through it all
Pressed out all my u joints

most of my u joints are missing needle bearings or have ruined rubber seals
I'm gonna hang on to them all for the time being and clean them up but in the mean time I'm going to take the jump and go with the moog u joints. I test fit one and it went in well Tommorow I'll give the screwdriver thing a trick at sepersting them.

[m3a1]

Yeah, it's all pretty self evident once you get in there but the little valve is really the critical component. Often times you'll begin with an axle shaft that has a big glob of hardened grease on the valve. In fact, that's something to watch out for if you're doing a walk-around inspection. An axle that cannot change its length will work hard on everything it's connected to. Glad to hear things are coming along fine. Don't forget to replace any rounded off nuts on the U-bolts. They are grade 5 fasteners, I believe....available at Tractor Supply, NAPA, etc... You'll be glad you did....or the next guy will.

[Husker]

Is it bad to go with grade 8 when not needed?

[rickf]

Not always but depends on the application There are some places where you want a bolt that will bend a little before it will break and a grade 8 will not bend, it will just break.

[Husker]

Ah ok
It used grade 8 for the Intake and the bell housing bottom part

[m3a1]

...and Grade 8 has the "bling factor"....all that pretty gold color, which I think is what leads a lot of guys to use Grade 8.

Which reminds me, Tractor Supply is selling their nuts and bolts by the pound and I really like that. (Totally old school!) I hate, hate, HATE the practice of selling hardware in blister packsI All that is, is a way to cheat the customer

I went in the other day for two lousy bolts, saw the price-per-pound and jumped right in. I came out with what I needed and a bunch of extra nuts and bolts to make up a 1lb bag of fasteners. The extra fasteners will go in my bins at home and Tractor Supply and I both came out winners. What could be better?

[rickf]

Could be better if it was not all made in China! But yes, That is where I get most of my nuts and bolts. Unless it is critical stuff like head bolts, then it is factory made stuff only.

[Husker]

I have cleaned up and reused a lot of the bolts that came with the mutt most being ok those that are jacked up are replaced generally if I replace one I replace all of that area mostly due to lowes (the only store other then tractor supply across town) sells there trash in the little baggies. I'm pretty much done with that store and there poor everything. I think I'll go to tractor supply especially if they sell by the pound


However some of my stock bolts appear in good shape/grade 8 from previous owner I would assume. My jeep was my nice restore by someone and then let it all falll into a pile of finless brown trout

[Husker]

Did you use a vise to hold yours down? I can't seem to turn the part without scraping the finless brown trout out of it

[rickf]

If you are talking about the seal sleeve nut on the shaft then yes, you will have to support the shaft and use either channel locks or a strap wrench to get that loose. When you put it back together you hand tighten it with some oomph.

[Husker]

Yea I'm using channel locker and they don't seem to be doing much other then striping it apart

Spraying them with some penetrating oil to give it another go later