Axle Boots

[Deuceswild]

Ken,
Not to change the subject, but could you use or do you need a working red warning light for your wrecker?
I ordered the amber light for mine from saturn and no longer have use for the red one, its yours if you would like it, if not I'll post it in the classifieds, free to a good home.
Please note that it is just the bulb and not the entire bracket.
Jeff.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I'll certainly take it Jeff. Just let me know how you want paid for it. Wonder if Saturn has the bracket?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Finished up the right side today. Everything went well. Each of the following captions will have a comment on the top of what you'r e looking at. Any questions, just ask.

 

[Deuceswild]

I'll certainly take it Jeff. Just let me know how you want paid for it. Wonder if Saturn has the bracket?

Ken, there is no charge for this, I just need to know where you would like it shipped
Jeff.

PS, Nice job on the front end

 

[clinto]

Nice job and thanks for the pics.

I also mark components when I rebuild them or replace them with a date, but I rarely put my initials on them.....

 

[Recovry4x4]

I don't know whats up with the initials. When I do oil changes on anything with spin ons, they get a date, initials and mileage right on the filter.

 

[cranetruck]

A side note here.
When I replaced the axle seals on my deuce several years ago, I found all of the nuts used to secure the spindle (on the twelve studs in the image above) to be of inferior grade.
Several were so soft that the threads had been stripped. Scary!
Sent one of the remaining nuts to Cabell a year and a half ago and he tested it on a hardness tester. The result showed that they were softer than standard hardware store grade (bolts without any tick marks at all). Still have the results somewhere.
Both sides had bad nuts.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I seem to remember that. IIRC the TM calls for replacing them as well. I found grade 8 nuts locally at .23 cents ea. Thought about nylocks since they had them in Gr 8 but I know getting them off would draw the studs out every time. I failed to take pics but there are star washers on each stud and they are beveled out on the edges to help retain the nuts. Would love to find a source for these since some of them are pretty much flat.

 

[jasonjc]

Tractor supply has GR8 stuff by the pound when I need some thing I grab a bag full so I have some next time.As for the star washers have you check with a nut and bolt place??

 

[Recovry4x4]

Not yet Jason, thats next on the list!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Interesting find today on the truck. I had one back wheel that I couldn't adjust the way I wanted it. Today I jacked it up and was playing with it. It would turn fine then after turning it backwards a bit it would lock up. I decieded to pull the drum. When I pulled the axle and outer seal, oil had found its way to the outer bearing. The seal was new. Couldn't find anything wrong. I cleaned it all up, repacked that bearing and put it all back together. When cinchng up the wheel bearings I ran the nut down tight and checked for resistance in the bearings. To my surprise I found very little. Checked the nut, still tight. Just for the heck of it I cranked on it again and suddenly it started tightening up. From what I'm thinking, there was a bur on the spindle and when I put it together, I missed it. The whole time the wheel bearings were loose. Everything seems fine now. The loose wheel bearings explains the occasional brake drag and for sure the outer seal leak. The brake pedal is very high and firm. Brakes work great for a deuce that weighs 20,500#.

 

[m35a2cowner]

Thanks for the tip

Thanks for the tip about the breathers, once you mentioned it I think I remember hearing about it somewhere else. Thanks for all the great pictures as well as the tips on re assembly.
Following up on the most recent posts concerning brake work, have you much experience with adjusting the brakes using the lower adjusters? I tried it once but they were so tight I am going have to figure out something with a bit more leverage. Also is there a way to adjust with the wheels on rather than taking them off and using a feeler guage as the TM states? Thanks.

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: Thanks for the tip

You need to remove the wheels to do the lower adjustment. You are taking loose the big nut before adjusting the stud right? I have one locked up on the wrecker. I need to strip it back down and apply some heat to break it loose. I'll do that during the next shoe replacement.

 

[m35a2cowner]

adjuster

Yes I was referring to the large nuts at the bottom. Is the pin that the snap rings go onto offset to move the shoes out? Also, while looking at the manual I noticed that it mentioned four felt rings that go on the lower studs. Mine does not have any and I suffer from a brake grab/drag on the right side. I thought I had it fixed after cleaning the holes out in the shoes and putting a small amount of never seize in the studs. In about 4 months the grab/drag returned. I have tried cleaning and sanding the shoes but it didn't help. Before the temporary fix with the never seize I replaced the rubber lines and wheel cylinder to try to get rid of the problem. The bushing is worn on the right side as well and a new axle seal is going in and that is the reason for knuckle removal. Thanks

 

[Hookin1]

Kenny how do you get the knuckle over the kingpins?????

 

[Recovry4x4]

There's a notch in the steeing knuckle. Once both kingpin bushings are removed, it will come off but not with the tie rod in place. You need to lift the knuckle and back the top off the top kingpin.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Is the pin that the snap rings go onto offset to move the shoes out? Also, while looking at the manual I noticed that it mentioned four felt rings that go on the lower studs. Mine does not have any and I suffer from a brake grab/drag on the right side.

That pin is eccentric and will move the bottom of the shoes in either direction. The big nut is a locknut then a 9/16 wrenc fits the flats of the stud. My one side brake problems ended up coming from loose wheel bearings. Once I put it back together, I snugged up the wheel bearing nut but felt no preload on the bearings. I really cranked on it the next time and it finally broke free and tightened up. Guess there was a bur on the threads of the spindle.

 

[jasonjc]

RE: Question

Hey kenny I got a ?? or 2 for you in pic180002 the ring that the seal is in. is in the other way as on my truck which is right? and here are some pic of the seals. And do you put any typ of sealer on the king pin caps?? and do you seal all the joint between the knuckle and brake backing plate??
All the seals and boot are from Ted's trucks and stuff

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: Question

Point blank, not sure about that seal. The one you removed looks right to me. I just can't remember what way mine really were with the wrecker. The only sealer used would be on the boot zippers which you don't have. You say the zipperless boots are from Ted Hils as well? I need to do the whole thing over again. The tractor needs the same thing + the axle shaft seals.

 

[cranetruck]

RE: Question

The inner seals may be tough to get out, but I used a long 1" dia rod, which passed thru the diff and popped the seals out from the opposite side.