I have a 72 f250 with a dana 60 and a detroit locker that i broke an axle with today. Is there a way to get the little piece with the splines out of the locker without taking the locker out? Thanks

 

You may want to go ahead and take the whole thing apart just to flush out any "crumbs" that may have been left from the axle breaking. It'll also give you a chance to visually inspect the gears and bearings to make sure they weren't damaged by pieces of broken axle.

Joe

 

> get the little piece with the splines out of the locker without
> taking the locker out?

I have never taken a Dana 60/locker apart or a broken axle from one, but if I was stuck here is what I would do. Take a long breaker bar (steel bar 7/8 x 6 feet sold at Home Depot or a front torsion bar from a F-series), put it down the axle tube, and hit it with a 80 oz. Ford wrench. You might be able to budge the spline part enough to move it. You just broke an axle 1.5 inches thick, you can bet its got an interference fit now.

Don't move it too much towards center because the splines are probable distorted by now and hammering it in towards the housing will just lock it further into place.

Then once it is freed up, push it from the differential side into towards the axle tube. If there is enough room maybe a cat's claw would fit in to push on it or grab it from the side.

Generally a two person job, one person lines up the bar on the spider/broken shaft while the other hammers the bar. Otherwise the rebound from the hit makes the bar jump around too much. I would grind the bar so you have at least a 1/2-3/4 flat spot to butt against the broken shaft.

I know the carrier will be a hassle to remove and probably weighs 90 pounds+, but, if it was my truck, I would pull the carrier and remove the shaft with a balljoint tool/clamp. If it was really stuck, I would drill a 3/4 hole down the middle to relieve tension and then try pressing the shaft in/out.

 

I've broken an axle in my locked Dana 60 and drove home on it(wasn't too far though). Then I dug out the broken peice with a strategically bent coat hanger, slid a new shaft in, and haven't looked back.

 

This is the second axle ive broken on this truck-It has a decently built 360 with 39s. Who makes a stronger axle or would that make it worse putting strain on other drivetrain components.