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axle swap jacks, etc question SORRY

blackk5350

blackk5350

1/2 ton status
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my dad and i are argueing about how hard it is to swap the 1/2 ton axles for the 3/4 ton axles i have 10 bolt front 8 lug and a 14 ff. my dad and i are just trying to figure out how many jacks and bottle jacks to use and how safe wood is inder the jack stands. ALSO how long did it take you guys to do yours. thanks alot guys. im trying to get my dad off my back and my axles on my truck.
 
Well I wrapped mine up tonight, as far as the actual swap it doesnt take long, I have a good floor jack and 6 jackstands, 4 for the truck and two to use here and there. The hardest part is all the little things like ujoints brake lines etc. Are you doing a spring swap up front or a shackle flip int he back? If I had all the parts, it could be done on a saturday. Just a prefence of mine, I like to unbolt the old stuff instead of using a torch, sometimes you might need that one obscure bolt or nut. My .02.
 
one axle can be done in as little as an hour...or many many more sometimes silly things fight you!

simple way to do it that i like.


remove drive shaft u-bolts
break loose axle u-bolts, spray wd40/pb blaster etc
-jack up truck
-remove wheels/tires
-lower truck onto the axle
-unbolt u-bolts, unbolt calipers and tie them up
-unbolts steering and misc
-jack truck up on the frame
-pull/drag old axle out from the side
-position new axle in
-lower truck down into centering pin holes
-bolt up u-bolts, calipers, steering
-jack the truck back up
-mount tires/wheels
-then u-joint
-measure and set toe in/out on the front

Done:D

couple of tips,

-14 bolt pinion will try to rotate on you and be annoying, use a 3rd jack stand to hold it up!
-10 bolt and d44 use different banjo bolts on the calipers, just use your calipers on the new axle
-if your installing a steering arm you want to hit it on the side to get it loose, or on the numbers
-pickle fork... use one
-when the tires are off, place them under the truck..if it falls they can save you butt!



also with concrete and two jacks you can slide it pretty easy in and out, that and get a decently tall set of jack stands! Harbor fright sales some nice ones that go up to around 30 inches or so and are perfect for the frame.
 
I do it with two jack stands (for the truck) and two floor jacks. I can swap one out by myself in about an hour and a half. I'll torch the old u-bolts and hang the calipers out of the way without disconecting them. For rear axles, I have a motorcycle jack that works perfect for the job.
 
thanks guys all i gotta do is prep my front axle(rusty and god knows what else) i will go buy some jack stands soon

another thing cant i move the front and rear axles out farther to get a longer wheel base??? i think diy4x has something like that???
 
supersize75k5 said:
one axle can be done in as little as an hour...or many many more sometimes silly things fight you!

simple way to do it that i like.


remove drive shaft u-bolts
break loose axle u-bolts, spray wd40/pb blaster etc
-jack up truck
-remove wheels/tires
-lower truck onto the axle
-unbolt u-bolts, unbolt calipers and tie them up
-unbolts steering and misc
-jack truck up on the frame
-pull/drag old axle out from the side
-position new axle in
-lower truck down into centering pin holes
-bolt up u-bolts, calipers, steering
-jack the truck back up
-mount tires/wheels
-then u-joint
-measure and set toe in/out on the front

Done:D

couple of tips,

-14 bolt pinion will try to rotate on you and be annoying, use a 3rd jack stand to hold it up!
-10 bolt and d44 use different banjo bolts on the calipers, just use your calipers on the new axle
-if your installing a steering arm you want to hit it on the side to get it loose, or on the numbers
-pickle fork... use one
-when the tires are off, place them under the truck..if it falls they can save you butt!



also with concrete and two jacks you can slide it pretty easy in and out, that and get a decently tall set of jack stands! Harbor fright sales some nice ones that go up to around 30 inches or so and are perfect for the frame.
Click to expand...


Great advise but I have a question. When you pull the axle on either end and move the new one under the truck are you actually lifting the axle up to the springs or are you lowering the whole truck on to the axle. If you don't have a trucklift how are you lowering the truck down?

Also for everyone here: Do you feel it good enough and safe enough to put two jackstands on the receiver tube of the hitch if I am doing one axle at a time? Believe it or not it gives me more room to work and my stands go up about 30"-36".
 
Big Blzn said:
Great advise but I have a question. When you pull the axle on either end and move the new one under the truck are you actually lifting the axle up to the springs or are you lowering the whole truck on to the axle. If you don't have a trucklift how are you lowering the truck down?
Click to expand...

I brought my truck down onto the springs. I brought it down the opposite of on the way up.

Jack the truck up under the dif... put the stands under the truck when high enough to do so. Pull old axle out... put new axle under. Jack axle up under new axles dif, making sure centering pin of spring perch goes into spring... keep jacking up until truck is off stands... pull stands when high enough.... lower truck down.

Did the same for the front and the rear.
 
Big Blzn said:
Also for everyone here: Do you feel it good enough and safe enough to put two jackstands on the receiver tube of the hitch if I am doing one axle at a time? Believe it or not it gives me more room to work and my stands go up about 30"-36".
Click to expand...

For the front, I put my stands under the frame right behind the front wheel well opening.

For the rear, I put my stands under the frame right in front of the rear wheel well opening.
 
i did it on a buddies truck back was done in a couple hours and we re stacked springs but have the brakes and all ready to go on the new axle, front took a little longer but if we woulda done it on a sat and started in the morn instead of friday night and stayed outta the beer easy day job. i used my hoist to hold the frame up but jack stands work just fine and wood under just make sure its solid. used wood blocks all the time jacking up big tractors... good luck
 
Thanks guys, alot of good ideas. ill have to let my dad know and tackle this before the end of may.
 
pull the front tires off,pull calipers and hang,put tires back on,dis-connect everything else,remove bolts from springs,run 6x6 beam across the framerails for a jack point.as the vehicle is lifted,the weight of the axel tends to pull it from the hangers.alot of times it gets bound up in the hangers.I've got a 4ft. pry bar that I use to finis working the springs from the hangers.once they're free'd up,jack up until you can roll the axel/spring assembly from underneath and roll the other in place.

The above instruction is what I do.But I'm generally installing new springs or new bushings in the old,so I pull it all.Now if you're only swaping axels:

remove tires,remove and hang calipers,install tires,cut/torch u-bolts(you will be using new anyway...right?)used said 6x6 beam,jack it up,roll out the axel,roll the new one in place,lower truck to axel,position install new u-bolts.

easy day job.alot less if you have friend with a torch and a bobcat.only took me an hour and a half,and that included installing new brakes/hdwe all around.
 
I used my 12,000 ramsey on the front . Put a snatch block off the old man winch truck on the a-frame run the cable up/ over /back down to the truck. Lifted just enough to pull the bolts on the springs then lifted it 3ft in the air rolled the 10 bolt out and the 44 back under and bolted it in place. Went from 4'' to 10'' lift. Have wrangler humvee tires on right now(36x12.50x16.5) with a set of iroks(39.5x13.5x15) waiting on new rims for later. On the back if you dont have stable ground use the tire off the truck with a empty rim on edge for extra support under the frame infront of the spring hanger. Drop hitch is way to dangerous by its self very tippy.
 
blackk5350 said:
another thing cant i move the front and rear axles out farther to get a longer wheel base??? i think diy4x has something like that???
Click to expand...

Diy4x makes the "EZ-inch" that is similar to Offroad Designs' "Zero-rate" add-a-leaf. Basically, they are like little 1-inch-lift blocks that bolt to your spring pack. They have two holes drilled into them. The 1st hole lines your front axle up in the stock location, the 2nd hole is drilled 1.5" forward to enable you to locate your axle that much further forward or backward. You could add 3-inches to your wheelbase by using them front and rear.

:waytogo:
 
If you have access to a hoist, it makes it really simple. I also leave the tires on the axle, then you can roll them around easily. You can lift the vehicle by the receiver or the bumper, I do it all the time.

Martin
 
thanks guys i gotta get this rear axle in order. i still have to redo the rear drums and put fluid in it. then the front axle :doah: its gonna be a pain in the you know what. anyone close who wants to help i will buy ya lunch haha! seriously!!!!
 
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