Cleaning Inner Axle Funk- Dana 60.

[a175]

As an extension project while doing a partial rebuild of my front end, I've noticed quite a bit of a mess inside the axle. I've included pictures looking through the "inner C's". When I pulled out the shafts, there was surface rust and dirt on them, so I'm going to replace all the seals as well. My question-
Is there a proper way to clean out all this junk? Is there a wrong way that I should avoid? Anything I can/can't spray in there to help clean?

I appreciate all the help. I'll be compiling all this material, as well as new stuff during the rebuild so I can make a thread on this for the next member that has to do this.

 

[Zero_cool]

I cleaned mine out when i had the pumpkin removed. Just took a toilet brush and duck taped it to a broom stick.

 

[a175]

Is there a way to do it without taking off the pumpkin and still not destroying anything?
I like the toilet brush idea.

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

This is always a pain in the A. I cut a circle out of 1/4 plate a little smaller than the axle tube, cut it in half, then welded it to a piece of 3/4" pipe about 4' long. Then i slide it into the tube without touching anything (try not to anyway), and pull all the dirt out. It gets the worst of it out, but not all of it.

 

[ODdave]

You have to pull the differential (pumpkin) out to replace the seals anyway. I use a pressure washer to clean the tubes out & center chunk out.

 

[stampy]

Shop vac taped to the bearing side and a chimney brush through the pumpkin.

 

[bushhawg73]

I just did this to my dana 60. I removed the carrier, and staggered the axle so the side I was cleaning was lower that the other side. I sprayed a degreaser into the tube from the inside while my dad used a toilet brush to scrub the inside of the tubes. We got a lot of the crud out but not all of it. If I had the equipment I would have pressure washed it and degreased it several times and then used a wire wheel.

Make sure that when you pull the old inner seals the entire seal comes out. My old seals were two pieces and I could not figure out why the new ones would not fit for a while. The carrier is a real PITA to reinstall without a case spreader.

 

[a175]

Giblet gravy anyone?
Glad I took off the cover. As soon as the bottom bolts started loosening, I saw water coming out. When the cover came off, it barfed this mess on me.
So, now I need to figure out how best to clean THIS also, as there's some visible residue still, and I'm sure there's more I can't see. Do I have to remove all those gears? I'm guessing so. Also, what's this little disk thingy in the corner of the cover's inside for?
On another note, all the bolts were the same. I was expecting to find one that takes an allen key to remove. Reckon this has been messed with before?

 

[armytruck63]

The disk thing is a magnet on the inside of the cover. It is designed to attract steel particles out of the gear oil. In picture #3 you can see it is working.

Bet that goop smelled like a sewer.

 

[Zero_cool]

To replace the ceals yes you have to remove the pumpkin.
Remove the 4 bolts from the pillow blocks and she should pop out.
As for cleaning i would use WD-40. I wouldnt take the gears apart unless there is evident damage.

 

[lindyp38]

i need to do that to my truck........thanks for the pics.....will u use a gasket....or just permatex it...?

 

[spicergear]

You got lucky that gravy still had lubricity to it and didn't end up like this:

 

[a175]

I have a gasket here whenever I get ready to put it back together. I took the four bolts and two "c" clamp things, but still haven't figured out how to remove the guts. I'd like to clean everything thoroughly and inspect for any damage.

 

[ODdave]

Spicer , looks like a mogg ?

A715, toss the gasket and use grey silicone. Gaskets tend to weep.

 

[spicergear]

Yeah, not long after I got the Mog I became the first person to do maintenance on the front axle. It had been swamped at one point and the differential, pinion, and all bearings on axle (thankfully not portal boxes) were destroyed. I rebuilt it with pristine take out parts I found in upstate NY. WHEW!...but still a pricey rebuild...and the pic below is of most of the tools it takes to rebuild the front axle. I don't have pictured a large press, digital metric calipers, or my milling machine which I had to use the digital readout to measure a couple dimensions on the differental that the calipers couldn't.

 

[Zero_cool]

I agree with ODdave on tossing the gasket.
To get the pumpkin out i very carfully pryed it out with a small bar.
It will act like it doesnt want to come out but as long as you removed the 4 pillow block bolts , and of course the axle shafts it will come.

 

[a175]

Apparently there's a "differential pinion shaft lock screw" that must be removed, then take out the pinion shaft. Is that necessary to take the whole thing out or is that just for disassembling the gears?

found here-
Dana 60 Maintenance Manual Page 28

 

[Zero_cool]

No you do not have to do all that to get the front pumpkin out.
4 bolts and shes free.

 

[a175]

Sounds easy enough...





The only things that ever fell free were the parts I wanted to stay attached hahha

 

[Zero_cool]

Or you could do it like these young chuckle heads did but i wouldnt recomend it

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2D0VpZ753Y[/media]