DUMB question - 1957 Chev PU rear end

[halfdone]

I'm trying to get a new (well different) diff centre into a 1957 Shorty step I have just grabbed as a new hauler

1957 1/2 ton 3100

I must be dumb, or blind, or both, but I can't work out how the axles are retained.

It doesn't have bolt on bearing retainers on the end of the housing (like a 9"), or circlips (like Chev).

I have pulled off the backplate from the housing (obviously removable for a reason) but can't spot any circlips and the centre block in between the spiders doesn't have any obvious way of coming out.

SO.........

Other than a 9" grinder ........ how do these axles come out so I can swap centres

No......I don't have a manual for it .... a scan of that page would be helpfull.

[BFS57]

Hello;
I did the re-seal of my 57 chevy BA and I had to use a special slide hammer to take the axles loose. You take off the end (4 nuts on the plate) and then attatch the slide hammer to a couple of the lugs and bang away! About three hits just about does it!
I don't know about your rear end but thats how I did mine!

Bruce

[halfdone]

Hi Bruce, the type you describe sounds the same as Ford 9" and many others were the axle is retained by a bearing plate that bolts to the housing via the four bolts that hold the backing plate on.

On this rearend the backing plate is riveted to the housing, so that ain't how it is supposed to be removed.

I had another look this morning when I had better light, and my old fella 3.0 reading glasses  :oops:

and I still can't see how it's retained.  

The only ones I have ever seen use either the above method, or some form of circlip at the other end.

The fact that the housing has a removable back cover in addition to a drop out centre would seem to suggest that the axles are retained from the centre, and that you access it via removing the cover ........... but I'm stuffed if I can work it out.

I will go home early this afternoon and have another snoop around ......... maybe there is some tricky way to pop the centre block out from between the spider gears so I can access a Circlip ....... but I haven't figured it out yet.

I spray degreased it this morning, so will clean it up and have a good looksee.

[halfdone]

I went and joined the stovebolt forum and they pointed me at an online manual  

For future reference: It says there is a small locking screw through the side of the carrier, when you remove that you can then popo out the gear spacer, remove the side gears and then push in the axle and popout the C clip hidden inside the side gears.

I will give it a go tonight

[enjenjo]

Glad you found an answer. I have owned a couple, but never pulled the rear end apart. and I have a 58 here, same rear end originally, but the rear in this one has been changed out to a Dana 44 out of a later truck.

[halfdone]

Longer term mine will be getting a 9", Jag front, 454 and T400.

But I already have enough projects, so the plan is to do the mimimum to get it on the road and USE it.

If I have to I will throw a 9" in, but the combo of bits I have here would lower it 4" in the back, and then I would HAVE to do the Jag front as well, and thats a big job.

So IF I can get this diff fixed, I'll just leave it stock for a year at least.

[halfdone]

Spare diff is all apart now. It all looks usable.

I will strip the one under it, and slip this centre in tomorrow.