Tips for brake drum/diff/half shaft removal

[drooartz]

I've got 4 days with no work and no pressing house projects, so I've pulled the Midget and Tunebug out so i can work on them. Main goal is to get as much as possible off the Midget, minus the engine/tranny (need lift and friends for that, no time to arrange it). I'm working on the rear diff right now. Got the drive shaft unbolted from the diff, and got all the bolts on the diff off. From my manual (looked at only when I ran into problems like a good man) I can now see that I need to pull the half shafts first.

One brake drum is being pesky and won't budge. Any tips?

Other side the drum is off, and I unscrewed the little screw that seems to be what locates things. Manual seems to say that I should be able to pull the half shaft out at this point. Won't move. Thoughts here?

 

[Bugeye58]

Drew, make sure the brake adjuster is backed all the way off, then hammer around the drum with a mallet. That may jar the shoes back far enough to remove the drum.
More than likely, the gasket between the hub and axle flange is stuck, so you may have to tap around the axle flange to see if that will unstick it. You can also try to worry a thin blade, like a putty knife, between the flange and hub to free it up. Try not to scratch the sealing surfaces.
Jeff

 

[spritenut]

Also make sure you remove the one screw that holds the axle to the hub.

 

[Bugeye58]

Frank, when I made my comments, I was referencing the picture. I could see that the screw was removed, so didn't mention it.
Jeff

 

[Taz]

did you put some of the bolts back that hold the diff in the housing. If not it may be binding the axle and not letting it slip out.

 

[fmichaels]

use a mallet and some determination ... it will come loose.

 

[drooartz]

I had thought about putting a bolt or 2 back on the diff to make sure everything is lining up. Didn't realize I needed to take the axles out first. Normally I read the manual first, this time I tried it the manly way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I had meant to ask if that one screw was all that I had to remove--Jeff and Frank's comments cleared that up.

Next question, as I look at the whole assembly, I'm not exactly sure which bit is the part that comes out. Do the studs come out with the half shaft, or do they pass through to be anchored to a plate right behind the axle part (the hub?)? I've looked at the exploded view in the manual and I'm not exactly sure I've got it.

 

[spritenut]

Studs stay on the hub, the axle has holes.
You might have a bit of rust at the studs/axle holes but a few taps with a hammer should free it up.
You will need new gaskets and O rings no matter what so don't even think of saving them.
And mark each axle Left and Right because they want to go back on the same side.

 

[jlaird]

Oh, Frank, why are axles to go back on the same side that they are removed from?

 

[Bugeye58]

Jack, they take a "set" based on the direction of rotation. Swapping them side to side reverses the rotation and can lead to a failure.
Jeff

 

[jlaird]

Oh me, I have no idea which side mine came out of? Just plunked em back in. Sigh. I do have an extra though. Figures.

 

[drooartz]

Thanks for the clarifications. Tomorrow's project, hopefully I'll get them both out.

I was told/read somewhere that these axles are swapable with the ones in my Bugeye. I'm thinking of keeping them for spares for the future. Is this true?

 

[kcbugeye1275]

If you have several sets of axles, the ones with a groove about a half an inch in from the diff end are the better axles.

 

[Bugeye58]

Drew, they'll plug right into the Bugeye. Hang on to them.
Jeff

 

[jlaird]

Drew, almost everything is swapable.