when i got my truck last year i had the wheel bearing go out and one of the races was stuck to the spindle we used the cutting torch to get the race off and now it is leaking again. i have a donor axle is it possible to remove the spindles from the axle housing? i don't want to completely swap axles since my rear end is in top shape as far as i can tell its nice and tight..

 

As long as it's the same type of axle, I wouldn't see a problem with it. Of course that's just me talking and not looking at it if ya get my drift...You may wanna consider new bearings and seals to be safe.

 

Oh really??????
Anywho check the spindles for grooves where the seal rides, i just fixed a leaky seal on mine, the damn spring on the seal broke so no wonder it was leaking. But as long as its the same flavor of axle you should be ok.

 

oh yea shes gettin all new guts on that side i imagine..... if i remember right there are 8 lug nuts for sure to get the tire off i know that then the 8 or 10 bolts to get the axle shaft out take the brake drum off with the hub after lossening the spindle nut and all that comes off then there were if i remember right 4 bolts holding the spindle to the axle housing but i can't quite remember.... i never too those bolts off so i don't know and i didnt have time to break it down tonight so im back in my focus for now.... i just want some reassurance that i don't have to swap the hole rear axle since that spindle is messed up lol the previous bearing grenaded in there thanks to the P.O. and my ignorance at the time with these trucks.... have since learned alot...... and either it was the race or the inner piece of the bearing was mated to the spindle and it required some love from the cuttin torch to get it off the spindle its been a little over a year since i was in there so i don't remember exactly how everything goes.... that was my first and only time inside one a these rear ends lol

not to mention i spent all day cleaning the cab which looks very nice now and i got under the truck and started greasing the front end and there sat a at least 5 foot long black snake on my 4x4 shaft.... poked it with a broom handle and it moved up under my coolant tank and then tried to cut it with a dull machete and that didnt work so it moved down along side my fender on the drivers side and i lost track of it... spent about 2 hours with a pressure washer blasting every nook and cranny on the dang thing and never could flush it out.... no idea where it got to hopefully it left.

 

Don't turn around he's right behind you!
Buy seriously the drum can come off separatley on the sterling axle, then pull the 8 bolts and slide the axle out, then pull the bearings and hub. Change spindles and reassemble the brakes before you put the hub on because it will allow more room to work. Id take the hub off the other axle and keep it with the same spindle, so that way the bearings and races match if your doing this on a budget. Plus your other hub could have issues after that bearing explosion.

 

yea thats probably a good idea.... keeping the hub and spindle together.... and she's gettin all new bearings and seals no matter what.... i did this once before and this will hopefully be the last time for many years to come.....

 

I wasn't gonna say anything since I'm new 'round here...lol...


Anyways... hope everything turns out well.

 

well the spindle and hub are both shot.... somehow the race spun inside.... does the spindle come off from the axle tube? how does it break down.... i really don't want to swap axles.......

 

I'm pretty sure on the rear axle, the spindle is part of the tube.
On front axles the spindle comes off. I think you're going to have to swap axles.

There was a thread a few weeks back about a similar issue, and someone found a place that can cut off the spindle part of the tube, and weld/machine a new one in its place. Its another option if you are near a shop that can do that, but probably more than you want to spend if you have a spare axle sitting there.

 

SOB! I just looke in my Dana 70 manual and i alsways thought that maybe the spindle un bolted with the 4 bolts that hold the backing plate on but that doesn't look like the case.

 

no sir, the spindle is welded into the tubes, i suppose you could change just the spindles, but that would take quite a bit of work, and some machining, and you would have to make dam sure that you got the other spindles in perfictley straight, or youll have some issues

 

The cheapest and fastest option will be to swap axles. BUT, there are people called "axle surgeons" who can fix it. Some even have mobile trucks that come to you, but it ain't cheap.

 

yea we got another axle but i was hoping it wouldn't come to this.... i loved my rear end

 

I'm just waiting to see who runs with it this time.

 

haha it happens everytime a discussion about the rear end comes up and its always hilarious lol