axle end play issue

[Blue 300]

Had leaking axle seals, so I pulled the axles to replace the seals, whoops, dropped one of the thrust spacers into the bottom of the diff . . .
So I pulled the center section, reinstalled the two thrust spacer buttons with a roll pin and put it back together.
After all is done I am trying to set the end play with the adjuster on the passenger side but even with all play taken out of the passenger side the driver side axle still moves in/out like 1/8" !!
wtf
Could this be due to a worn out bearing? seal not properly seated? other?

 

[rumpfox]

when you replaced the wheel seals didn;t you clean and repack the wheel bearings if you didn't clean and inspeck the wheel bearings when you had it apart you shouldn'te even be working on it if you don't have that little of knowledge

Had leaking axle seals, so I pulled the axles to replace the seals, whoops, dropped one of the thrust spacers into the bottom of the diff . . .
So I pulled the center section, reinstalled the two thrust spacer buttons with a roll pin and put it back together.
After all is done I am trying to set the end play with the adjuster on the passenger side but even with all play taken out of the passenger side the driver side axle still moves in/out like 1/8" !!
wtf
Could this be due to a worn out bearing? seal not properly seated? other?

 

[Blue 300]

So does that mean that you think its the bearing?
Yes, I did repack the bearings. They seemed a little loose, like you would expect from a 40 year old bearing. Car has only 40k on it.
I didn't have this problem before I removed the axles. At least not that I noticed.
I think I'm going to pull the axles again and put green bearings in it.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

What year and type of rear end. A 8 3/4 should have some end play and 65 up rears are adjusted using right side adjuster 64 down need to be done with shims.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Why green bearingz? Follow the FSM and adjust what you have and assuming it'z a '65 or newer az Dave sayz. That right side adjuster should take ALL end play out on both sidez when you tighten it down RIGHT 'N TIGHT! Like the Manual sayz: tighten the adjuster down tight, give the left axle end one good whack with a brass or about a 2 lb. hammer in the center of the axle end AND AIM GOOD 'CUZ YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA HIT YOUR LUG BOLTZ. LOOSEN YOUR ADJUSTER UP JUST 'TIL YOU CAN FEEL THE RIGHT SIDE WIGGLE IN AND OUT AH "TAD"(1/8" AT MOST), MOVE THE ADJUSTER LOCK TO THE NEXT LOOSEST NOTCH IT WILL FIT INTO AND TIGHTEN DOWN THAT ADJUSTER LOCK NUT AND TA-TAH YOU'RE GOOD TO GO

 

[twostick]

1/8" is too much (.125").

IIRC the spec is like .004" min to .010" max endplay. Like BBC said wack the drivers side axle hard to set it and then wind the adjuster in until all the endplay is gone. Back the adjuster off 1 hole and push in and out on the axle. If you can feel ANY play you should be good. If not, back it off another hole at a time until you do. .004-.010 isn't much so at the first hint of movement you should be good.

If you have a dial indicator and a magnetic stand, you can check it to the thou if you don't trust your "feel". Harbor Freight type quality dials are more than good enough for this and are cheap if you want to buy one.

Kevin

 

[commando1]

Why green bearingz? Follow the FSM and adjust what you have and assuming it'z a '65 or newer az Dave sayz. That right side adjuster should take ALL end play out on both sidez when you tighten it down RIGHT 'N TIGHT! Like the Manual sayz: tighten the adjuster down tight, give the left axle end one good whack with a brass or about a 2 lb. hammer in the center of the axle end AND AIM GOOD 'CUZ YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA HIT YOUR LUG BOLTZ. LOOSEN YOUR ADJUSTER UP JUST 'TIL YOU CAN FEEL THE RIGHT SIDE WIGGLE IN AND OUT AH "TAD"(1/8" AT MOST), MOVE THE ADJUSTER LOCK TO THE NEXT LOOSEST NOTCH IT WILL FIT INTO AND TIGHTEN DOWN THAT ADJUSTER LOCK NUT AND TA-TAH YOU'RE GOOD TO GO

I'm going to keep you on speaker phone while I do my next one.

 

[Blue 300]

It's a '68 clutch type sure grip
the adjuster on the pass side take all the endplay out of that side to the point you cant even turn the axle...
but the drivers side is still moving 1/8"
I think its a bad bearing.

 

[Blue 300]

Do you need to pull the thrust spacers if you use the green bearings? I'm getting mixed reports about this.

 

[twostick]

It's a '68 clutch type sure grip
the adjuster on the pass side take all the endplay out of that side to the point you cant even turn the axle...
but the drivers side is still moving 1/8"
I think its a bad bearing.

Did you whack the left axle with a hammer?

If the bearing was that bad it should have been making quite a racket before you took it apart.

Kevin

 

[Blue 300]

I hit it pretty good with a 3lb sledge. I wonder if you can whack an axle too hard and damage/loosen a bearing? Anyway the bearing was way loose and so I have since replaced both with the green bearings, easy. We'll have to see how the side-load holds up pulling a small trailer.

 

[78Brougham]

1/8" is too much (.125").

IIRC the spec is like .004" min to .010" max endplay. Like BBC said wack the drivers side axle hard to set it and then wind the adjuster in until all the endplay is gone. Back the adjuster off 1 hole and push in and out on the axle. If you can feel ANY play you should be good. If not, back it off another hole at a time until you do. .004-.010 isn't much so at the first hint of movement you should be good.

If you have a dial indicator and a magnetic stand, you can check it to the thou if you don't trust your "feel". Harbor Freight type quality dials are more than good enough for this and are cheap if you want to buy one.

Kevin

Ijust replaced the outside brand on my 67 Imperial yesterday. Hit it just hard enough to seat it..not to put it over the center field fence! If you hit it to hard it can bounce back. Then you'll be going back and forth. According to my 67 FSM end play should be .013 to .023.