Ford 8 inch axle end play

[junkyardjeff]

I got a maverick 8 inch in my 55 sunliner and after I pulled the axles for new bearings I did not remember if I tightened them down so I pulled the drums to check and found out I did tighten them but one axle will come out I think over 1/8 and the other wont move,what is the acceptable end play and if its not correct i will be pulling it apart for a gear change soon.

[enjenjo]

none. If it moves it isn't installed right. Fix it now.

[junkyardjeff]

I am glad I did not drive it to Daytona Beach if its that serious.

[The Paisano]

Ford removable axles should have no play in them.Check the lock behind the axle,make sure it is right up to the bearing.I not you will need to replace this bearing and lock it is a press fir and might have walked loose.
The noise you have is on the pull side of the ring gear.Once the wear pattern is established on the gears,its almost impossible to reverse.You said you were replace gear anywhay,should make sure you use a pion set
up tool.this will determine what side shim you will install between the pion support and the pumkin.this determines the depth of the pinion into the ring gear.This is an important step.After that,make your backlash is correct.New pinion bearings,races,crush sleeve and seal preloaded to 21 to 33 inch pounds of rolling torque.this is the right load of the pinion bearings,any thing you stand a chance pf premature bearing or race wear.that's why a lot of guys get ion trouble when the replace pion seals caude they overtighted a crusch sleeve that has already been crushed once.

[junkyardjeff]

I am going to pay someone to install the gears and will get all new bearings too.

[wayne petty]

jeff... read this article on the 8 inch rear end...

just so you know... the individual pictures have text too .. but you knew that..

http://www.mustangandfords.com/techarticles/mdmp_0904_ford_8_inch_rearend_build/index.html


as for play in the axle... there should be none...  but i have have had the bearings slide in and out in the housings behind the bolt on retainer..

so .. axle play between the axle shaft and the inside of the bearing bore.. bad.....   there is a sleeve that is pressed on behind the axle that holds the bearing in place on the axle...  the bearing its self cannot hold the axle tight enough to go around a corner.. it will slide out...    that ring is called the bearing retainer...  i have also seen them improperly installed ... where they got pressed on at an angle to start and deformed..   if that happened .. start over with a fresh bearing and retainer..

axle play (in and out)  between the axle bearing outer race  and the housing end... probably ok..    

wish you lived closer... it would be so much easier..

[junkyardjeff]

I finally got it in the big garage and took it apart and either its not pressed on tight enough or the bearing is too big for the axle,its going down to another shop for another bearing or see if it can be saved.

[wayne petty]

this is what the axle bearing assy should look like for the 7.? rear end.   the 8 inch and 9 inch are similar..

http://image.mustangmonthly.com/f/31275348/mump_0912_34_o+1965_mustang_convertible_rear_axle+axle_shafts_cleaned.jpg

you can see the sleeve on the side of the bearing... this actually holds the bearing on the axle..

if that is loose... the axle will slip out...    

when installing the new bearings and retaining rings.. it is important to get them lined up straight the first time.. if the become crooked on the press..  especially the retaining ring.. you can stretch it too much...



i went and looked up the bearing  

the 5 bolt axles take a timken # RW207CCRA

id  1.3780
od 2.8346
W   .8449

the seal that should match this axle should be a
timken  Part Number: 9569S

you might want to pick up some washers and a long 1/2" bolt and nuts  to make a driver to drive the seal in straight.. by the flat face..

the housing bore of the 9569S is 2.260...  so washer OD's of 2.5" should work perfect...   or spin them against the face of the grinding wheel to make them smaller....

you might find some info on this link...

http://www.ultrastang.com/Page.asp?PageID=16


there is one thing...   the 4 bolt axle housings.. which are 7.? rear ends.. not an 8 or 9" rear end..  use a smaller bearing on smaller axles..

RWF34R

id 1.3386
od 2.6772
w .944.. but the inner race is wider than the outer..

sorry i don't have specs on the retainers.. they are one use only...

[junkyardjeff]

The axle is toast,the previous bearing must had destroyed the axle and made the bearing a looser fit and now the axle is wore down to where the bearing is sloppy on the axle.  I am off to the junkyards to find a axle or whole rear end as I would like to find 3.00 gears and get rid of the 2.79s it has now,I dont remember the machine shop saying there could be a problem with the axle.

[junkyardjeff]

I got looking in the shed and found a 9 inch axle that is the same length and it fits so its going to get a new bearing but will use the retaining plate from the old axle since the one on the 9 inch axle is a little larger and interfers with the brake parts,the axle is from a 64 or 65 galaxie.

[UGLY OLDS]

I got looking in the shed and found a 9 inch axle that is the same length and it fits so its going to get a new bearing but will use the retaining plate from the old axle since the one on the 9 inch axle is a little larger and interfers with the brake parts,the axle is from a 64 or 65 galaxie.

Make sure the center of the axle ( Where the big hole in the brake drum fits on the outside) is the same diameter as your brake drum....

ALSO...Make sure the axle flange where the drum sits is the same distance from the edge of where the bearing seats on the axle ... Been there...got surprised ....


Bob........

[junkyardjeff]

I went to the junkyard and got another maverick rear end today.

[kb426]

Did you get another 8", a 9" or a 9" large housing with small bearings?