Getting ready for Bonneville(rebuild)

[bvillercr]

This is the axle that slip out a bit, must have happened during a spin at speedweek in 2017.

[jl222]

I always tig tack the retaining ring. It's an old oval track trick.

Pete

  We need to do that. Thanks

                 JL222

[Rex Schimmer]

John,
With the talent that you guys have you should convert the rear end to full floating axles. Not really hard to do but it completely eliminates the brake drag problems you have experience that you have had and it is far stronger than the flanged axle set up.

Rex

[tauruck]

Tom suggested the same for my application.
Rex, in layman's terms how does the system work?.
Thanks and no hijack intended.

[Crackerman]

The hub itsself is mounted via bearings on a tube type spindle that is an extension welded to the axle tube. The axle itsself slides through the tube, splines into the diff like normal, but then is bolted to the drive hub.

The axle itsself bears no weight of the vehicle.

Big 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.and vams have used this type.of axle for many years now.

[jl222]

The hub itsself is mounted via bearings on a tube type spindle that is an extension welded to the axle tube. The axle itsself slides through the tube, splines into the diff like normal, but then is bolted to the drive hub.

The axle itsself bears no weight of the vehicle.

Big 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.and vams have used this type.of axle for many years now.

  That sounds quite involved. Seems like we would have to narrow the rear end, get new axles and wheels for wheel thread to be in same place. Also the axle stand out specs for brakes would require narrowing the rear end.

  Axles with new bearings pressed into place are ready to pick up. I mentioned tacking the retaining ring but they suggested a longer retaining ring. I'll know more in a few hours.

 Full floating axles reminds me of my brother Jimmy building a new [at that time early seventies] rear engined dragster, racer friends, ''you don't need full floating axles''.  Jimmy takes their advice but a few weeks later NHRA requires full floaters

 From the  above story I should have gone full floating from the start but forgot.

   Racer friends also said you don't want a rear engine dragster, you can't see if the tires are spinning.


                      JL222

 


   

[Ron Gibson]

I have seen doubled retaining collars in the long ago past.

Ron

[jl222]

I have seen doubled retaining collars in the long ago past.

Ron

 picked up the azles, new bearings,retainers and seals. I mentioned tack welding the retainers and he said ok but don't get carried away with the weld because the seal surface is right behind the bearing.

  i asked were the seal seated because we really didn't see much seal material when we took the axles out just part of the sealed bearing
cover which I didn't know what it was. Hey i'm learning a lot  He showed me on a housing end what the seal register should look like.

 Any how after looking at our axle housing there is no place for a seal

 I'm guessing that when they narrowed the rear end it was a pain in the A$$ to install a seal seat.

 Never had any oil dripping on ground so they must rely on the sealed bearing to stop leakage?

  Also thinking about silicon on housing were bearing registers to stop any oil from leaking around there.

   So thinking about tacking the retaining ring. But he doesn't think it will happen again. He had never seen that happen.

   Business is called Fearless Gear  specializing in deferintuals.

                     JL222
       

[Peter Jack]

Three very small tacks around each ring.  

I don't remember a seal. Of course I'm getting old and my mind may be failing. 

It used to be that there were weld on full floating conversions for stock rear end housings for use in late models and super stocks. I don't know if anyone's still making them.

Pete

[jl222]

Three very small tacks around each ring.  

I don't remember a seal. Of course I'm getting old and my mind may be failing. 

It used to be that there were weld on full floating conversions for stock rear end housings for use in late models and super stocks. I don't know if anyone's still making them.

Pete

 thanks Peter

            JL222

[jacksoni]

Doesn't Nascar use full floating rears?

[Interested Observer]

Just my opinion, but welding on what is likely a relatively high carbon axle is likely to introduce brittle microstructures and/or microcracks.  Not what you want to have in a location of highest and alternating stress.  And which is holding the wheel onto the vehicle.

[Peter Jack]

The Ford axles never break at that point. That's the heaviest area of the axle by far and I've never seen any evidence of cracking on either drag or oval track cars. Ford axles normally twist off in the splines where they enter the side gears.

I totally understand what you're saying IO but this seems to be one of those instances where what you might think is a stress riser doesn't seem to have any significance.

Yes Jack, NASCAR uses full floating axles as do many other organizations where the axles are subject to high side loads.

Pete

[bvillercr]

We completed a few things today.  We installed 450 lbs rear springs on the shocks and installed them.









We also installed our axles, changed the gear oil and brakes. 







The day wouldn't be complete unless we got a visitor from the wild.

[bvillercr]

Today we repaired our large cold water tank that feeds our inter cooler.  We made some extra room for the panhard bar to move in extreme suspension compression.  At one time it did hit the tin above it.  Since we put our suspension back to the original position we didn't want it to hit again. Step one complete, next step is more water proofing.