Someone please help me with the installation of my rear axles... I just put new bearings one both axles and two new seals . One axle is longer than the other one. Does the longer axle go on the passenger side or driver side ? And second is it possiable for me to install the axles in the rear end? I have tried to put the axles in but pounding them all the way down seems to be very difficult. When i slide each axles down into the rearend I can feel them lock into the pumkin but the bearing will not go into the housing so i though i would take a hammer to the end of each one and hit them but they didnt move... Does any one know of a easy way to put the axles back into the rear end? Second question.. The front drum brakes have been installed but i'm missing Both of the hold down keys that fit over the pin to hold down the tops of the brakes. Is it nessary to have these in place? and if so when might i find them? I have tried napa and they don't carry them ven in there brake kits. Thanks,mark My rear end is a 8 inch 4 lug ..
Did you get the large bearings by mistake? The 5-lug rear ends have larger bearings on them. The should just slip in. I don't remember which side is longer, but it should be fairly obvious if you hold them up to the housing.
They just slip in. If you are beating them with a hammer, something is wrong. Probably you were given the wrong parts. Dave
I dont remember which side takes the long one but maybe you were trying to put the long one in the short side. Did you try both sides? They should definately slide right in. Sometimes the backing plate moves around a little and is not lined up with the axle housing but a little wiggling and it should go together easily.
Well the first time i got the bearings they were for the 5 lug ( from advanced auto) I brought them home and found that the bearing just slide all the way down to the bottom of the axle. So i took them back and went to napa and bought the right ones for the 4 lug axles. I took the axles to napa's machine shop and paided 20.00 to have them pressed on. So i know i have the right bearings . as for the axles sliding into the housing easily and know which side the longer one goes on ,I tried both sides and found out whick side takes the longer one. Now ,when i slide the axle down into the housing i will not slide all the way down to the bearing it stops about 1 inch before the bearing and will not go any further both axles go that far and stop. I took the pumpkin off a while back when i took the axles out and removed the bearings from the pumpkin ( ring gear but did not touch the pinion. Is it possiable that i did not get the ring gear put together right? I made sure i put it back together the same way i took it apart.. It just doesnt make sence that both axles stop at the same point and will not go in any further. So what you guys are saying is that the axle and the bearing should slide right down into the rear end with out any problems? If the bearings slide into the housing really easily wouldn't the bearing turn inside the housing when the wheels turn? I figured that the axle bearing would have to be pressed into the housing a little in order for a tight fit? But it you guys say that the axles should slide down into the housing with easy then i will keep trying.
I just finished putting the axles in the rear end like you guys said they went in easily. Here is my question. If i remeber correctly the old bearings were flush againist the ends of the each end housing . I have pounded the ends of the axles with a hammer to make sure they were in all the way. But the outside of both bearings are not completely flush with the rear end housing . Each bearing sticks out just a hair. So i put all four bolts in the holes and tightened them .Will this push in the bearing the rest of the way? or is the bearing subpost to stick out just a hair? and if it is will this hurt anything? By the way i hit the hell out of my thumb and now it's twice as big ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for all your help mark... by the way I'm now 6000.00 into the operation and have taken over 80 pictures of the work that i have done to the car . I want to post my picture so you all can see my work .. I'm now 2 years into the rebuild and hope to have the car on the road this summer.
