Monday, February 18, 2008

More work on the Front Axle

I spent what little time this weekend I had to work on the project scrubbing, cleaning, and inspecting the front axle.  I was able to get the diff carrier out without a diff spreader by putting a wrench on one of the ring gear bolts and turning the input yoke until the diff carrier "rolled" itself out.  I have some steel that I am going to use to build a diff spreader if I need it, and also a rotisserie (mainly for the tub, when I get to it, but it may be handy for the frame too).  I have some gear marking compound, gaskets, and seals on order, and the bearings all look OK.  Where I have wire brushed the outside, I am keeping it covered with WD-40 to keep it from rusting.

I did have some questions that I posted to some Internet boards -- we'll see what answers I get back, if any ...

  1. I have cleaned the outside and wire-brushed a lot of it, but I have a transmission shop down the street that I think will hot tank it for me to get in all of the nooks and crannies. Will hot tanking hurt the knuckle and pinion cups? Is there a better way to strip the outside in prep for paint? I want to avoid getting grit inside the housing as much as possible. 
  2. What is the preferred sealant (Permatex 300?) on:
      - the outside rim of the oil seals
      - the pinion yoke butt and splines
      - the fill/drain plugs
      - the bolts that go through housing through-holes (like the carrier bearing cap bolts)
  3. What is the preferred sealant on the housing gasket?
  4. What is the preferred gear oil? Is 85W-90 better than regular 90wt.?
  5. I banged the pinion out with a block of wood per the manual - does this damage the outer pinion bearing or bearing cup? It looks and feels OK.
  6. What is the preferred grease for the wheel bearings, axle joints, and knuckle? Ludel recommends Texaco Starplex-2 but I can't find it locally.
  7. Is the paper gasket behind the pinion seal necessary?
  8. How much pitting is OK on the knuckle external surfaces? What is the preferred way to fill pits - is JB weld or epoxy OK?
  9. Can I take a couple of extra drive plates to a machine shop and have them machine out the splines so that all of the front axle internals aren't spinning - i.e. maintain the correct look (no lock-out hubs) but reduce front axle wear. Will that work? Drive plates are easy to swap when I want 4wd.
  10. Is the diff cover vent fitting re-buildable or should I just buy a new one?

I am sure I will have more questions later!  Especially about this sealant stuff -- Permatex 300, RTV (different colors), form-a-gasket, hi-tack, etc. - I am not sure about the usage of all of these yet and what situation is best for each.  More fun research!

As far as the frame, a buddy gave me the name of a guy to do sandblasting, but I haven't tracked him down yet.  I also found another place that will blast and powder-coat my frame for $575, so I may go that direction and then put primer and USMC paint over that.

I lucked out and was pointed to an original Army manual for the 24V electrical components for cheap on e-bay, so that should be arriving soon.

Next weekend, I hope to paint the axle, and re-assemble the center/diff part ... my lovely wife gave me a dial indicator for Valentine's day (how romantic!), so that will be very helpful putting the diff back together!  I'll give an update and hopefully some photos then.

Front Axle - Exploded View Diagram:

Dana25Diff-Exploded

After that, I'll work on the "ends" of the axle - the knuckles, brakes, wheel spindles/bearings, and then the springs and steering.  I'll probably get two wheels cleaned and painted and two new tires put on for the front axle so when I move it off of my little cart to make room for the rear axle it will have something to sit on outside (no room at the inn for two axles at a time!).

4 comments:

  1. Looks like a fun build. I will be following it!
    Have you done anything to the engine yet?

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  2. Thanks! Nope - haven't touched the engine yet. Getting the axles done, and under the frame is first, then x-fer, then tranny, then engine. Trying to do as much work as possible myself to learn.

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  3. Go to G503.com they have a M38A1 section on their forum. And parts too!! Keep us posted as to your progress.

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  4. Bookmarked as a favorite...Can't wait to next post - you provide inspiration. Good Luck! Thanks Matty T.

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