2.5 ton Rockwell Third Member question

[FMJ]

Question:

I have a Deuce with a bad front differential will the third member from a rear axle work in the front axle location? or is it reverse rotation like in a standard 4x4?

Searching for "third member" didn't work as did other combo's

Thanks,
Ed

 

[JeremyB]

Last time I looked they will interchange.

 

[rat4spd]

The issue he is alluding to is that the orientation of the front axle is backwards compared to the rears, therefore, the rotation of the ring gear will be in reverse compared to the rears to make the front tires go forward. Ring gears are made to primarily turn one direction because of the cut of teeth.

If you simply swapped a rear diff in, the ring gear will have the backside of the teeth loaded instead of the front. I don't know what the Rockwells do for the front, but that is the concern.

 

[Andy1234]

If needed, I have freshly gov't rebuilt Rockwell front axles available, still in the gov't crate.

PM if interested.

Thanks,

Andy

 

[gringeltaube]

Question: .....................will the third member from a rear axle work in the front axle location?

YES, they are all built exactly the same and perfectly interchangeable, as already stated. When pulling forward load is on the "correct"(convex) side of the ring gear tooth, in all 3 axles!

G.

 

[rat4spd]

YES, they are all built exactly the same and perfectly interchangeable, as already stated. When pulling forward load is on the "correct"(convex) side of the ring gear tooth, in all 3 axles!

G.

How is that achieved? Nevermind, there are two drive flanges....

 

[FMJ]

Thanks G, after we looked at the gears we figured they would work but we had a heck of a time figuring how to support the truck, until we remembered our jig from our cam repair last year, it seems to be a universal jig/jack for everything!!!

 

[tie6044]

Rockwells are really cool axles, the third members and hubs are the same front and rear. And when putting them in a custom truck they can't be put in wrong, they will always turn the same direction. You can even put a front axle (or a rear) in backwards with the pinion on the drivers side and the stearing in the front and it will still turn the same way!

 

[combat32]

Tricycles are underated for sure Thousands of clowns couldn't be wrong, good info to know that they interchange

 

[FMJ]

some pic of the gears:

 

[surewriting]

WOW thats a huge set of gears! lol ive never seen the inside of a rockwell before- cool and good luck!

 

[Westex]

I need to donate some jackstands from Harborfreight to FMJ....

 

[jesusgatos]

Thanks G, after we looked at the gears we figured they would work but we had a heck of a time figuring how to support the truck, until we remembered our jig from our cam repair last year, it seems to be a universal jig/jack for everything!!!

That's all-time funnay chit rite thur.

 

[doghead]

Everyone knows the Triangle is the strongest geometric shape known to man. Look at how the pyramids have stood the test of time. And yes, never doubt a clown....

 

[FMJ]

Here's one more pic of the old axle, we found this after we slid the axle out from under the truck

 

[doghead]

Bubblegum could have fixed that.

 

[FMJ]

There was so much steel in the pumpkin, it plugged the drain hole when I first took the plug out. . .

 

[spicergear]

A good trick for seperating the 225 lb third member (chunk) is to take a couple of nickels (yep, five cents) and place them in between the top of the stud and the bottom of the casting under the pinion side of the chunk where it overhangs the studs that hold it into the axle housing. As you unbolt the nut, once it gets even with the top of the threads it will jam up against the several nickels above it and it will cause the chunk to seperated from the housing enough to get a couple of big screw drivers in and keep seperating from there. One person can pull chunk, but two are better...or if you have a forklift available, you can put the axle upside down on the chunk and lift the housing off of it. After it's drained, of course-

From there it's cutting the lock wire and attacking it with an air gun. It is possible to get it apart and leave the large diameter side adjustment nuts (round with holes) in place in the housing. I've always backed each side off an even number of turns, like 2...then pulled the differential or even taken on side off then pull the diff. Helps make sure that after you put the locker in and are going back together with it (why else have one apart that far- ) that everything is going in as closely to original as it can.

 

[frodobaggins]

Ok, I'll bite, how is the truck really supported ?

 

[clinto]

Tricycle pics are hilarious.