Axle overhaul, Part 3

If there is play or you suspect damage to the birfield / inner axle junction, separate them, clean & inspect. Skip to Part 4 if you're not going to separate them.
I tried to separate these with a drift and 3lb hammer, but no go. I think the hammer was too small.
Instead I used the "SST" recommended by Mark Whatley and others, a piece of 1.5" schedule 40 steel pipe. Put a rag in the end, put the inner axle shaft in it, then let it drop. Repeat until the birfield pops off. You'll destroy the spring clip, but save its remains.
Rotate the cage in the birfield so that, one by one, you free the six balls from the cage. Set them aside.
Turn the cage so that the two long openings on its perimeter are at the high points on the inside of the birfield, and remove the cage and inner race.
Turn the inner race ninety degrees, so it's perpendicular to the plane of the race. Place the high point of the inner race in one of the large openings of the cage and pull the inner race from the cage.
Degrease the parts.
The outer races of the left and right birfields looked like this, respectively. As with all other components on this front axle, the left one was more worn than the right.
Lightly grease the inside of the birfield, reassemble bearings, race and cage.
Put a new spring clip and snap ring back on the inner axle shaft. Never re-use the spring clip.
Press the inner axle shaft into the same birfield it came from, as far as it will go. Use a large flat-head screwdriver to seat the spring clip in the groove. You can use very light tape from a hammer on the inner shaft to apply some pre-load to the spring. Continue until the spring is seated, then drive the shaft fully into the birfield with a hammer. Make sure it can't be pulled out.
Pack the inside of the birfield with grease, using the heel of your hand to force grease down into the bearings.

Back to Part 2
Ahead to Part 4
Up to Index

Morgan Fletcher <morgan@off-road.com>
Last modified: Fri Oct 8 02:18:09 PDT 1999

Back to