axle shaft joints

[123mack]

Today I started some maintenance on the front axle of my m816 (pack bearings, new seals, boots, etc). This axle has the Bendix type joints ( four outer balls and one center ball). The -34 says to check the ball races for excessive wear, but doesn't say what is excessive wear. Anyone have an idea? Couldn't find anything on searching.

 

[Hammer]

I think that is is anything including galling, scoring, or any real noticeable wear marks.

 

[poorman4x4]

years of grease neglect and major rust issues are the only thing to even remotely wear out a ball and claw shaft, we run 5 tons on tractor tires and rarely snap them with 500+HP

 

[m816]

Look for dark groves in the track of the balls. If any of them fall out and seem loose to you discard the axel. The last one we replaced had large groves worn in the joint from excessive wear. I think the inner axel seal failed and let the gear oil flush the grease away from the joint One of the ball s got loose and jamed up the whole axel causeing a failure in the housing. It all had to be replaced.

 

[poorman4x4]

premature axle shaft seal failure is way to common with a 5 ton axle's poor seal design, ive rebuilt 5 ton axles more times than i can remember, use a good grease like a saltwater boat grease with no animal fat, gear oil merges with cheap grease and makes a mess , we've put more abuse to 5 tons than a MV designer ever dreamed of on other trucks and jeeps

 

[poorman4x4]

by the way, i dont want it to seem like a pissing match, i respect everyones expierence with military trucks/axles , i just dont want the post count to reflect my knowledge

 

[123mack]

Mine didn't have any deep dark grooves, just very shallow depressions you could barely feel. I greased it up good and put it back in.

 

[groundog]

ANYONE TRIED USING FRONT AXLES FROM A 939 SERIES---THEY HAVE REGULAE U JOINTS?

 

[poorman4x4]

yeah ujoints are pretty strong, and expensive unless you get a deal on a parts truck, my buddy finally snapped the rezeppa style, but the ball cage was weak, so rebuild it and good as new, of course his 500+ HP duramax is turning 65" r-2 tractor tires

 

[ke5eua]

Not wanting to start a new thread since my issue relates to this. How does one reassemble the joints.

Mine came apart yesterday and now I need to tackle the reassembly.

I'm going to clean it up today with a small wire wheel on my drill and coat it with some prep and etc before I put it back in.

 

[162tcat]

Read post #4. I'm no expert on this type of joint but I know the ones on my M54A2 wouldn't come apart like that. One of them even rolled out of the truck bed and stayed together after hitting the floor. Maybe find a good local 4x4 or axle shop?

 

[ke5eua]

Read post #4. I'm no expert on this type of joint but I know the ones on my M54A2 wouldn't come apart like that. One of them even rolled out of the truck bed and stayed together after hitting the floor. Maybe find a good local 4x4 or axle shop?

It stayed together when I took it out, rolled around, pressure washing it and such. Yesterday I tried your suggestion on using the axle shaft and when it didn't budge the seal I went to set it down and it came apart.

 

[RAYZER]

Stick it on the bench and try your puzzle solving skills.
I would start with the ball that has the pin.

 

[ke5eua]

Stick it on the bench and try your puzzle solving skills.
I would start with the ball that has the pin.

Most of your comments make me laugh. I was thinking about it yesterday and the wife said the same thing. She looked at it and said the ball with the rod can only go in one place.

The place I got my longer studs work on rockwells so I'm going to ask them about it, and see how much the newer ones would cost.

What is the model of the front rockwells on the 5 tons?

 

[RAYZER]

Most of your comments make me laugh. I was thinking about it yesterday and the wife said the same thing. She looked at it and said the ball with the rod can only go in one place.

The place I got my longer studs work on rockwells so I'm going to ask them about it, and see how much the newer ones would cost.

What is the model of the front rockwells on the 5 tons?

How's this for funny, I bet your wife can put it back together!

 

[ke5eua]

How's this for funny, I bet your wife can put it back together!

She burns water, I don't think I want to to tackle this one.

 

[RAYZER]

She burns water, I don't think I want to to tackle this one.

I'm not very good in the kitchen either but I'll give this a shot, have never put my hands on one of these cv joints but here's what I think.
On the bench, line the cv ears up facing and 90° to each other, support the spline ends up with a block of wood so the shafts are inline, place the shaft ball shaft in the 1/2 round slot in which ever end has the shaft hole, put some grease in the ball cradles, slide the cv joint ends closer together and work the other 4 balls in either from the back sides or put them in place and push the two halve together, work it around.
But this is just my reasoning, whats the tm say?

 

[ke5eua]

Alright, so me and the wife tackled it together and would you know it, it's whole again.

Getting the three out of the 4 outer balls in is a piece of cake, it's the 4th that takes you for a loop.

You have to get it at just the right angle, lift it up a little, and a little whack with a rubber mallet and bobs your uncle she's in.

Used lithium grease to help a little. It's sitting on the work bench right now and will be moved only when it's time for it to go back in.

I'm guessing when it came apart I got it at the just right angle to pull a ball out of place and just like jenga, london bridges came falling down.

Little concerned about the pitting from the surface rust, but I'm sure I'm just being overly cautious.

Used a god cage and stood the long end up through the holes, made it a whole lot easier.