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8 Lug Front 10b Overhaul *New Problem post #17*

496truck

496truck

1/2 ton status
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I started taking apart my 8 lug front last night, it's on stands in the garage not on the truck, just plan on giving it new ball joints and tie rod ends and a good clean and paint. Well, it'll also get bearings repacked, new seals, new rotors, and new u-joints for the axle shafts too. Basically just want it ready to go when I finally get a lift for this truck. But I came up with a couple questions...

1. What's the best way to get the crud out of the axle tubes?

2. How do you get the steering arm off the knuckle? I need this off cause it'll need a raised one when I go to lift the truck.

3. The little bearing and seal where the outer axle goes into the back of the spindle, is that stuff still available? Mine looks OK but if it's cheap I'll just do it.

4. The axle shaft seals, do they install from the carrier side (ie, remove carrier and it will be plainly obvious)? I haven't even pulled the diff cover yet to look.

Any other advice to give?
 
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I use a 30" 1/2 to 3/8 extension wrapped with several rags, after soaking the crap in the tubes with brake clean, use the long extension or rod like a chimmeney sweep and use til clean.

The steering arm is a bitch 9 times out of ten cause of the crud that gets between the conical washers and the threads, usually a BFH some penetrating oil and beat on the steering arm a good bit, if you get the conical washers to move thats half the battle. Once loose you can use a flat blade screwdriver to turn them up the threads until you can get underneath and gently pry them off.

The spindle bearing and seal are still available-Randys, or west coast differentials i know for sure does have them.

The seals do go in from the inside after pulling the carrier and they are just a ray of freakin sunshine to put in. For this one i again use my 30" extension with a large socket on the end to beat the seals in with a BFH . This method does require a helper to line the socket up and keep it lined up with the seal as not to ruin it. It is a bitch but its the way I have been most successfull with. I really look forward to more replies to this specifically as i am always looking for new methods:waytogo:
 
I got the drivers side knuckle all stripped down last night. Was surprised how well the ball joints came out, considering that this axle sat under the donor truck for ten years parked under trees before I dragged it out, I thought I would be heating and fighting with them. Still haven't gotten the steering arm off the knuckle so I guess that will continue to put up a good fight.

Maybe I'll update with pics this weekend.
 
to put the inner axle tube seal in, i found that the special socket to get your hubs apart is the perfect size to drive the seals in with, if you dont have a seal driver set
 
I have a seal driver set, so I guess that will be good. Just heard stories before of long threaded rod, big washers and such to seat the seals in the tubes...
 
You can get all the rebuild parts from extremeaxlesales. His user name on Pirate is Highonda. Great prices and he has all the spindle bearings and axle slingers and seals along with wheel bearing and seal kits.

For cleaning the tubes I found a cylinder brush like 2-3" diameter with a long handle and put it on my drill. Works like a champ. Then I vacuumed and wiped clean with some rags.

I did the PVC pipe trick before i reinstalled my axles too because those tubes will get dirty again.

Find a piece of PVC that will fit into your axle tube. Cut it in half long ways and trim the length to fit inside the tube. When you are ready to slide your spare inner/outer assembly in you slide out the piece of pipe first and clean the grime out of it and reinstall it. That way when you slide the axle in it doesn’t push all the mud/dirt into your front diff.

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496truck said:
...and new u-joints for the axle shafts too....
Any other advice to give?
Click to expand...

I'd suggest modify the axle shafts for full-circle snap rings, and use Spicer joints.
 
Modify for full circle clips, is this a do it yourself or a machine shop thing?

What's the recommended ball joint mfg to use? Moog, Napa, etc?

I like the PVC pipe idea.
 
Ball joints: I've used NAPA Gold. But: they have the grease port in the center...

I've done the axle shaft mod myself; I'm sure a machine shop can do a better and for sure quicker job on this. I felt it was worthwhile, my front axle issues (when I had the locked 10b) were all related to losing the u-joint snap ring and the cap walking out. The full circle snap ring took care of that.
 
I finally got the steering arm off the knuckle, it was not pretty. I tried repeated soaking in PB Blaster every day for I don't know how many days. I tried heating with the torches and spraying with PB also. Repeated banging with a 3lb hammer from many angles. Air hammering in different locations and air hammering the washers trying to spin them out. This thing would not move and I got fed up.

What I ended up doing was taking the sawzall and cutting the arm in between the studs. One section I spun out with the stud. The middle section I torched off half of it around the stud leaving the stud exposed, then hit it with a hammer and chisel to break the other half off. This left the middle stud by itself and the last stud with the long part of the arm on it. Vice grips and PB had the stud out. I took the long part of the arm and started to spin the last stud out till it hit the knuckle where it dips down. Got out the torches again and cut that off then spun out the rest. What a horror show that was!

I'm gonna try the dealer for the studs, washers and nuts. But if they don't have them where do I go next? Or, when I get around to buying a lift kit with raised steering arm, do they come with new studs, washers and nuts?
 
Not that it matters now but if you beat the stearing arm from the side facing the wheel it will come off. If it doesn't move you get a bigger hammer till it does.

The studs might be availible from ORD
 
Any company that sells steering arms will carry the studs. Sky, ORD, NWF, BTF etc.
 
kgblazerfive said:
Not that it matters now but if you beat the stearing arm from the side facing the wheel it will come off. If it doesn't move you get a bigger hammer till it does.
Click to expand...

25 years of N.E. rust begs to differ.
I was just knocking the axle off the stands, remember this axle is not under a truck. And when I had the knuckle off the axle, on the ground, I was hitting it so hard I thought it was gonna break the knuckle. The last thing I need is to get this thing together and be driving down the street, hit a bump and have the knuckle fall apart because it had a crack I didn't see. Maybe I'm just thinking of the worst case scenario, either way I didn't want to break it.

Dealer says the studs are discontinued. I guess I can order them through ORD when I get all the lift stuff.
 
Its chevy when in doubt or things not working get larger hammer. Try geting the kingpins of dana 60 dam things are torqued between 500and 600 ft-lbs. I got lucky as i had someone to help used 7/8 allen with over 8 ft long cheater and they still wouldnt move. Had have the extra guy hit them with a ball pin hammer while i was yanking
 
New Problem

The replacement ball joints have the grease port in the center. Not an issue on the lower, but the upper, this may interfere with the axle shaft u-joint. Even if it does fit in there, how would you grease it? I've been looking for some 90* fittings to put in there but still wondering if it might get knocked off or something when the shaft turns and some crud gets caught in there. Anyone have experience dealing with this?
 
Moog is the only one that makes an upper ball joint with the zerk on the side that i'm aware of. The ball joints you have you'll need to install a zerk, grease the joint, remove the zerk then install a short plug, then reassemble the axle and remaining items. If you try to install a 90* zerk the axle will take it right off for you and leave you no way of being able to grease that ball joint in the future UNTIL you remove the broken zerk and start all over.
 
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