Re: [ihc] help needed rebuilding front axle - diff removal

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 11:47 AM -0800 11/25/03, David Nedved wrote:
> Hi Guys,
>
> Thanks for pointing me in the right direction for the parts... now I've
> got a counter full of front axle parts, and well on my way.  My main
> goal here is to replace the inner oil seals on my D44 front, but I've
> got the parts to replace all the bearings and seals while I'm at it.
> I'm trying to be lazy and do this while the axle is still under the
> truck.  Am I crazy?
Boy, David so much of this is a matter of opinion. You'll probably 
get as many different answers as you do responses. I rebuilt a number 
of axles, all of them on IH vehicles. I always took the axle out 
because I wasn't comfortable having it in place where I couldn't 
really see and control what was happening. Ring and pinion shops and 
some of our digesters work on the axles in place because of the labor 
involved in getting them out.


> I've removed the bearing caps in the diff, and am now trying to get the
> differential assembly out.  The manual says to use a "spreader" to
> spread the carrier.  Do I need this?  Do I need to get the diff out to
> replace the seals?  Do I need to remove the axle from under the truck
> to do this?  Where do I get a spreader?
Again, a matter of opinion. I always used a spreader and a gauge to 
measure pinion depth. Some guys use pry bars and design something to 
use as a fulcrum. I don't mind getting the carrier out this way, but 
I want the spreader to put it back in, so I always used a spreader. I 
borrowed the spreader and gauge from my IH dealer who was also my 
friend. Not sure where you borrow one. The axle does not need to be 
out to use the spreader, but I liked having the pinion yoke pointing 
to the ground and the opening to the carrier lying flat in front of 
me. It made using the spreader and especially the gauge easier for 
me. However, no R & P  shop that I've ever seen at work remove the 
axle from the vehicle.


> Removing the axle will be a major job for me as it will involve buying
> more jack stands, lots of grinding to get my current U-bolts out, and
> buying new U-bolts (mine have been beat on rocks way too many times).
> Not to mention it will probably require tearing the knuckles down,
> which I'm trying to avoid.
I've never torn down an axle with closed front knuckles and I 
wouldn't look forward to doing it either. But, can you replace the 
seals without getting the axles out of the housing.? I don't recall, 
but it seems to me as if you can't.

I'm sure that you'll get more responses and they should be more 
specific and of more help than this.

John


--
John Hofstetter
www.goldrush.com/~hofs