Bent Axle Tubes?

Was the rear end narrowed? If not and things spun easy without any resistance then I would run it. Easy to talk ourselves into things that are not there isn't it!

39 master said:

Was the rear end narrowed? If not and things spun easy without any resistance then I would run it. Easy to talk ourselves into things that are not there isn't it!

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Thanks man. I'm about to put new deals and bearings in it.
Its all original, unmolested. So I'm gonna run with it.
Thanks for the encouragement!

I’m just not seeing where it looks off in your photo’s.....but

Didn’t circle track “camber the axle tube” for handling?

57Nomad said:

I’m just not seeing where it looks off in your photo’s.....but

Didn’t circle track “camber the axle tube” for handling?

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Actually it looks a lot better once I put the string on it. I didn't really know how to measure it so I kind of just made it up myself!
And it did look like one of the tubes bent straight up just a little bit, so yes that would be camber?
Anyways, I'm not real worried about it anymore. I'm sure it will be fine.

Most of them are bent a little, look for any significant seepage where the tubes are pressed in. I put my narrowing fixture in them sometimes.

Looks like a GN rear end. Pull the axle seals and bearings out of it. Put the bearing caps back on. Stand at one end and sight down the axle tube like looking down a shotgun barrel. Line up all of the holes from the end of the axle tube, through the bearing bores and to the end of the other tube. If all of the holes line up then it's good. If the holes are out of line then you need to have it straightened.

So the axle housing is good.
Next question.
How can I tell when it's time to put in a new clutch pack in the posi unit?
I have one ordered, and on the way.
But the one little bit of clutch portion that I could see, looks like it has quite a bit of material left on it.
I can take pictures of it in the morning.
I was just wondering is there some way I can tell without taking it apart? Or should I just do it while the pumpkin is out?

big gear head said:

Looks like a GN rear end. Pull the axle seals and bearings out of it. Put the bearing caps back on. Stand at one end and sight down the axle tube like looking down a shotgun barrel. Line up all of the holes from the end of the axle tube, through the bearing bores and to the end of the other tube. If all of the holes line up then it's good. If the holes are out of line then you need to have it straightened.

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Dang!
I pulled the old bearings, and seals out this afternoon and replace them already.
But, I did eyeball it like a gun rifle barrel and everything looked pretty good to me. I'm just going to roll with it!
One side of the carrier bearing itself was pitted up pretty good, but the race looked okay.
The pinion feels really smooth and there is zero play in it so I'm not going to mess with that part.
Next question will be should I replace the axles with some Mosers.
I'm not going to drive the car at the track too much, and when I do it will only have drag radials on it. Never a super sticky Tire.
The car is supposed to have about 650 horsepower by the time I get done with it.

I've got about 600 HP and I'm twisting my 31 spline Moser axles a little. Your 28 spline axles may not handle that amount of power. You probably need to look at a T/A Performance cover and some ARP studs for the bearing caps. If you do the 30 spline axle upgrade you will have to replace the original differential with an after market 30 spline unit and some new bearings and shims.

big gear head said:

I've got about 600 HP and I'm twisting my 31 spline Moser axles a little. Your 28 spline axles may not handle that amount of power. You probably need to look at a T/A Performance cover and some ARP studs for the bearing caps. If you do the 30 spline axle upgrade you will have to replace the original differential with an after market 30 spline unit and some new bearings and shims.

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Got the cover and studs on the way.
I will look into the 30 spline upgrade, hopefully I can send my clutch kit back.

Grab a metal broom handle.
Unscrew it from the broom.
Roll it over your (flat) bench with the plastic end sticking out to make sure it rolls good. Most of them do.

Stick the broom down the housing and then insert spacers around it equally.

Boom straightening tool that almost everyone has laying against the shop wall. Fits several housings. I have a aluminum piece of tubing from a concrete float for the longer ones in my rafters. Just check that it straight before each use and you will be golden.

To check for bent tubes and aligning the tubes for welding when replacing I have a 70" SS bar and some bushings I made that index off the cap registers and the both ends of the tubes.
For a bush fix, I'll assemble the whole thing, put on two rims known to be straight, set it jack stands, measure from wheel lip to wheel lip, rotate the housing 90' and remeasure, repeat 3 more times. If the numbers are different, it's got problems.

Looks fine. Normal shelf rust. Sometimes it can't be helped. Clean it off with a wire brush and run it. Are you using a magnet on the inside of the cover to catch metal in the oil?

Epoxy a magnet to the cover. Put it at the lower edge away from the ring gear.

big gear head said:

Epoxy a magnet to the cover. Put it at the lower edge away from the ring gear.

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And rare earth magnet if you can, like out of the inside of an junk or old computer hard drive. Super strong magnet.
Looks like a nice rear set-up