Ford 9" Axle lengths

[HPCOBRA]

Not to repeat myself, but I am redoing a CR that was put together back in 95. It was assembled and in the first 75 miles it was spin out and parked in a ditch. It suffered minor front fiberglass damage and was put in storage in 95 and not touched until I bought it last fall. The builder was out of his element of knowledge in many areas. One is the rear axle. It was built with a brand new 9" ford housing. It has a new traction lock F-311 with Richmond gears and bearings. I started to look it over and noticed he had washers behind a spacer that held the axle bearings covers in place. I disassembled it and found that the axle is too long and the bearing sticks out by about .281 inches! OUCH! Okay here is where my lack of Ford knowledge comes in. The axles pulled right out and are not held in place by any type of a axle locks. Looks like the pressed on bearings and bearing retainer sleeve is what hold it in place. Obviously the bearing should fit all the way down into the bearing pocket. Right now that is impossible because the axle spline end bottoms out. Does anybody know how much the clearance there should be at the end of the axle before hits an obstruction? Also I am assuming that the bearing retainer flange does not need a spacer behind it. Is this correct? lastly the bearings are sealed so there is no additional axle seals. Should the bearing outer race be coated with something to provide an oil tight seal when assembled. I appreciate any help.
Thanks

[cobrashoch]

This really is one of those things that I'd have to be there to see. However if you look at that bearing you will see it bolts to the housing, so the axles cannot come out if assembled correctly. If the axles are indeed too long it's a simple matter of machine triming off the ends of the axles and extinding the splines, a process that is both inexpensive available in most places local. I usially cut them to give about 1/8 inch clearance from bottom out, without the bearings. This is usially the time to press on new bearings and replace the little axle oil seal inside the housing too, keeping it mind that most drag race guys don't put em back in, and the jury is still out if they are even needed at all. Don't let the guy that trims your axles talk you in to hardening the ends. On street cars this usially only makes them brittle, if you were to curb a tire the axles will be more to likely break, usially at those same splines. This is because hardend ends only add rotation strength to the spines, ok for drag only cars, not ok for street cars.
Ron Shockley

[FWB]

this should shed some light.....


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=255093



fred

[HPCOBRA]

Thanks so much for the info. I work for a large high end machine shop so getting them cut is no problem. I was not sure as to what length. The response with the link cleared that up. Thanks again to all.

[Clois Harlan]

I have a chop saw that I used to cut mine and I understand that it is fairly common to cut your axels down. My axels were made by Moser and it was a fairly simple procedure. I believe I cut off about 1/4" from each side.

Good luck.

Clois Harlan

[cobrashoch]

Clois - I've threaten'd to cut them myself down through the years, but never done it, always sent them out. Of couse if you do that it assumes you have enough spline lenth on the ends to just chop em off. To continue RE; the original post, the wheel bearing itself has a exterior oil seal and it is all you will need on a street car regarding a dust shield. That is of course unless you are going off roading into rivers. If it were me I'd also lose the housing axle oil seals forever too, let the housing oil get freely to the wheel bearings. This could help your wheel bearings with mild road race work. The backside of this is later the seal could get weak and and you could possibly get a leak that would oil down your prized mag wheels.Your call. Another thing, this might also be a good time to weld up a oil drain bung on/to the housing if it does not have one. And I can't stress enough,,,,,, make sure the housing vent is clear and open. Good Luck........
Ron Shockley

[cobrashoch]

Duplicate post omited
Ron Shockley

[HPCOBRA]

I pulled the axles and used a long depth micrometer to measure the stop lip on the internal spline to the mating surface of the back side of the bearing pocket. I put the shafts on a bridgeport and cut them .06 shorter. The axle lengths did not agree with any cook book calculations I was given. I reassembled the axle and all is sweet. Thanks