Axle & Diff Rebuild Time

rklewis1005 · Thursday at 1:49 PM

Ok, so next up on my rebuild list is the rear axle and diff. 70 Charger SE, 383 HP, Auto, 8 3/4 Suregrip, 489 case (not sure of gear ratio until I remove the axles and pig). It was running/driving when parked in '83 (42 years ago) and everything spins. Based on the odometer, it has around 114k miles. I'm disassembling it so I can weld new brake line brackets in place and clean/paint the axle housing. I have the workbench book (specific to Chrysler differentials) and the service manual. I plan to clean and inspect the differential, but will rely on the book and suggestions here for what I should focus on or if I should rebuild it all.

- I'll need to replace the inner/outter axle seals and likely the axle bearings.

- What in the differential is "normally replaced" or should be checked closely?

- Any recommendations on how far to disassemble it or what NOT to disassemble/touch?

- Crush Sleeve eliminator - are they worth it/any good?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go - thanks in advance for any hints!

Jerry Hall · Thursday at 2:29 PM

Your saying it spins freely. Before taking it apart I would check the amount of play between forward motion and reverse motion. The results of that should tell you the overall condition of the chunk. A stock 489 sure grip will have a cone type sure grip. 114K miles is not necessarily a teardown and rebuild factor. If you have minimal slack between forward and reverse motion, I would clean it up and repaint it. I would also replace the inner and outer seals which will require pulling the chunk. Examine the gear lube by feel, and inspect the gears for wear. The same goes for the tapered bearings. If all looks good, reassemble with new gasket and seals and run it.
I just did the same thing to my project 67 Satellite with appropriately the same mileage. It hasn't been on the road since the early 80's. All was good, so I'm going to run it with all original parts, except for seals and gasket.

R413 · Thursday at 2:36 PM

The wheel bearings can be cleaned, inspected and repacked with grease. They don't run in gear oil.

Agree with post #2.

RemCharger · Thursday at 3:15 PM

Just watch for signs of orange in there. My concern would be if some tapered rollers got rust pitting. Other wise, probably good to go

451Mopar · Thursday at 3:18 PM

I think a big part depends on what tools you have. For replacing the bearings you are going to need a press to install them at a minimum.
If you are going to rebuild the diff, I would get a yoke holding / puller tool. The Raytech 18002 is affordable. Ratech 18002 Ratech Combination Pinion Yoke Holder and Puller Tools | Summit Racing
For pulling the differential and pinion bearings, the clamshell type puller is nice as you can remove the pinion bearing without destroying it if you have to replace shim spacers.
For tightening the yoke and checking pinion pre-load, you need a torque wrench that can goto 250 ft/lbs, and a in/lbs dial or beam type torque wrench. I have a CDI dial torque wrench that was around $300? I use it more than I thought I would, transmission band adjustments, valve cover and oil pan bolts and other smaller screws and such.

The Raytech 10007 Pinion depth setting tool is cheap and easy to use. The Pinion distance to the bottom of the diff bearing bore is just a bit over an inch, so i use a 1x2x3 block to square the pinion height under the diff bore centerline, and a machinist straight edge across the lowest point of the bearing bore, and the measure/check the clearance between the two. I have used stacked feeler gauges before, but I bought a gauge block set which makes it easier.
I forgot what the nominal distance is supposed to be, I have it in a spreadsheet somewhere, but the basics are the same for most pinion setting tools.
They use the diff bearing bore size and divide in half to find axle centerline to the outer bearing housing and use the bore of the bearing housing as the reference to the head of the pinion, then add them together to get pinion to axle centerline distance.

rklewis1005 · Friday at 8:54 AM

451Mopar said:
I think a big part depends on what tools you have. For replacing the bearings you are going to need a press to install them at a minimum.
If you are going to rebuild the diff, I would get a yoke holding / puller tool. The Raytech 18002 is affordable. Ratech 18002 Ratech Combination Pinion Yoke Holder and Puller Tools | Summit Racing
For pulling the differential and pinion bearings, the clamshell type puller is nice as you can remove the pinion bearing without destroying it if you have to replace shim spacers.
For tightening the yoke and checking pinion pre-load, you need a torque wrench that can goto 250 ft/lbs, and a in/lbs dial or beam type torque wrench. I have a CDI dial torque wrench that was around $300? I use it more than I thought I would, transmission band adjustments, valve cover and oil pan bolts and other smaller screws and such.

The Raytech 10007 Pinion depth setting tool is cheap and easy to use. The Pinion distance to the bottom of the diff bearing bore is just a bit over an inch, so i use a 1x2x3 block to square the pinion height under the diff bore centerline, and a machinist straight edge across the lowest point of the bearing bore, and the measure/check the clearance between the two. I have used stacked feeler gauges before, but I bought a gauge block set which makes it easier.
I forgot what the nominal distance is supposed to be, I have it in a spreadsheet somewhere, but the basics are the same for most pinion setting tools.
They use the diff bearing bore size and divide in half to find axle centerline to the outer bearing housing and use the bore of the bearing housing as the reference to the head of the pinion, then add them together to get pinion to axle centerline distance.

Thanks! I have a press, but I will wait until I check them out before deciding if I need to rebuild the diff. My preference would be to clean and repack vs replace. But I'll see once I get in there.

If I don't rebuild the diff, does it save me from preload/backlash "stuff" during reassembly? Sorry for the newb question.

matthon · Friday at 11:16 AM

rklewis1005 said:
I'll need to replace the inner/outter axle seals and likely the axle bearings.

If the outer seal is leaking the bearing needs to be removed.
Cut the retainer off, cut the bearing cage apart in a few sections, pull the bearings out, pull the outer race off, cut the inner race off.

Use a cutoff wheel at an angle, be careful not to cut/mark the axle.

451Mopar · Friday at 1:01 PM

If you only do the axle bearings, no need to mess with the diff.
Backlash is an easy adjustment on the 8-3/4" the carrier has screw adjusters in the caps. The correct spanner tool makes the job easy, but it is not necessary.
Preload should be OK if you don't remove the pinion and yoke.
If you do the crush sleeve eliminator kit you have to shim for preload.

rklewis1005 · Saturday at 8:40 AM

Pulled the axle & differential. The diff looks ok - going to clean vs rebuild. Initially I thought there was a little grinding, but it was that metal ring thing behind the yoke isn't square. I moved it gently with a screwdriver and it doesn't rub anymore is it supposed to move?

I'd like to soak the yoke end in evaporust to clean it up. Any reason I wouldn't want to do that?

rklewis1005 · Saturday at 6:00 PM

matthon said:
If the outer seal is leaking the bearing needs to be removed.
Cut the retainer off, cut the bearing cage apart in a few sections, pull the bearings out, pull the outer race off, cut the inner race off.

Use a cutoff wheel at an angle, be careful not to cut/mark the axle.

I don't believe any of the seals are leaking. No orange / rust / etc the bearings seem smooth. I'm thinking of cleaning / repacking bearings but there isn't a lot of space with the collar in place Recommendations on how to clean / repack the axle bearings?

Should I just go ahead and do inner & outer seals & bearings via a kit? It looks like the collar comes in the Dr Diff kit.

Mopar Set 7 (A7) Tapered Axle Bearing Package

matthon · Saturday at 7:23 PM

Clean them up with a solvent of some kind, then pack new grease, there is enough room.
A friend has a grease pump thing that works really well, but I'm cheap.

At the least replace the inner axle seals.

You could repack the bearings and replace the inner seal and send it, maybe the outer seal will last, maybe not.

I've done the complete bearing package rebuild, and have also gone the other direction and used the green bearings.

Green bearings are just self contained, no need to pack with grease, no outer seal, no need for an inner seal but I always put the inner seal in with green bearings. Just some insurance.

Green bearing uses a rubber o-ring as the seal, see pics.
There is also a different retainer and gasket.
Also, no adjuster.

Some say green bearings are fine, some say to stay away.

I have them in 2 cars and no issues.

I just dealt with the axles on my Barracuda, if this helps at all, not sure where in the video.

rklewis1005 · Sunday at 8:19 AM

matthon said:
Clean them up with a solvent of some kind, then pack new grease, there is enough room.
A friend has a grease pump thing that works really well, but I'm cheap.

At the least replace the inner axle seals.

You could repack the bearings and replace the inner seal and send it, maybe the outer seal will last, maybe not.

I've done the complete bearing package rebuild, and have also gone the other direction and used the green bearings.

Green bearings are just self contained, no need to pack with grease, no outer seal, no need for an inner seal but I always put the inner seal in with green bearings. Just some insurance.

Green bearing uses a rubber o-ring as the seal, see pics.
There is also a different retainer and gasket.
Also, no adjuster.

Some say green bearings are fine, some say to stay away.

I have them in 2 cars and no issues.

I just dealt with the axles on my Barracuda, if this helps at all, not sure where in the video.

View attachment 1931170

View attachment 1931171

Thanks - decided to replace the axle inner & outer seals and using Timken tapered bearings. Trying to avoid touching it again during my lifetime

I'll remove the old ones and clean/paint while waiting for the rebuild set from Dr. Diff.

Axle & Diff Rebuild Time

rklewis1005

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Jerry Hall

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R413

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RemCharger

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451Mopar

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rklewis1005

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matthon

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451Mopar

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rklewis1005

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rklewis1005

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matthon

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rklewis1005

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