freewheel axle flanges

[73m819]

I found the write up back in 97/98 in a MVmag, thay talked about a mwo but for some reason it was a unit by unit implementation

 

[OverSizeHeavyHauler]

Subscribed!

 

[maccus]

Thats part of the plan, I just negleted to mention it.



I noticed how the shaft kind of flopped around on the truck I removed the hubs from. For now I still plan to put bushings in them for ease of mind.

Jeff have you done this mod yet? Did you put a bushing or a bearing in the hub? If so what kind of bushing/bearing did you use?

 

[KsM715]

No, not done yet. I just dont get around that fast. I have the hubs. Im a curious about what Ron said about using hardend steel rather than a softer bronze bushing. Not sure what I would need to get from the steel supply shop.

 

[73m819]

No, not done yet. I just dont get around that fast. I have the hubs. Im a curious about what Ron said about using hardend steel rather than a softer bronze bushing. Not sure what I would need to get from the steel supply shop.

just talk to a GOOD machine shop, tell them what you want to do, thay will know what steel to use.

the idea behind a HARDENED bushing is that the axle is hardened, so using a hardened bushing, nether part will eat up the other, as a axle would do to a BRONZE bushing as it carries the weight of the axle, with things hardened there should be very little ware as long as the hub cap is kept GREASED, being kept greased is even more important if a bronze bushing is used, this is one of those things you can not over grease.

 

[cbvet]

I have a set of Deuce hubs machined ten thousandths over spline OD. No bushings. I've run them a few hundred miles with no problems.

I like the addition of the grease fittings! I'll copy that.

 

[73m819]

I believe the deuce hub has TWO bushing to support the outer axle, the 5ts have only ONE bushing, and that is on the knuckle end of the hub,, the 5t hub cap will need something there to support the outer end of the axle

 

[Castle Bravo]

I rode in and drove a M931 for almost 1000 miles roundtrip that had desplined hubs on the front axle. I had (and maybe still have) doubts that the axle stub would be rubbing on something, even with the splines removed from the hub. We inspected it and felt the hubs at every stop, and there were no new noises, no high temperatures, and no apparent increased wear afterward.

 

[KsM715]

Whats the spindle set up on a 900? Is it like the deuce with the two supporting bushings,or the 800 with the single bushing?

 

[maccus]

No, not done yet. I just don't get around that fast. I have the hubs. I'm a curious about what Ron said about using hardened steel rather than a softer bronze bushing. Not sure what I would need to get from the steel supply shop.

Jeff I have not had my hubs off of the M818 yet and it is way to snowy and cold to go out and remove them at this time. Questions is: "Does it look like there is enough space/metal in the hub to add a thin ball or roller bearing?". If possible I will do that and put a zerk in also. As soon as Glen sends me a set of hubs. Time to get the lathe going I guess.

 

[Castle Bravo]

Whats the spindle set up on a 900? Is it like the deuce with the two supporting bushings,or the 800 with the single bushing?

Not sure. If I can, I'll take some photos of it apart.

 

[oddshot]

Here are a couple of pics of my modified front axle flanges. I turned out the spline area to an O.D. of 1.95". I shrunk in bronze bushing material and turned it out to an I.D. of 1.64". The major O.D. of the axle spline is 1.625". That gives me about 0.015 clearance for free running in grease.

Can you share the source you used for the bronze bushing material you used,. or perhaps suggest one for the home machinist?

oddshot

 

[dodgedougak]

I used bronze bushings because I wanted them to be softer material than the axle splines. The bushings are easy and cheap to replace. I used a bronze 2" boat propeller shaft for my bronze material. It was a short piece left over in a scrap bin. As you can see from the pictures, I also drilled, tapped and put zeros in the end of the flange cap for greasing.

 

[willy]

On the deuce the axle is supported by the spindle and the rest off the front end
The axle should not be turning any more if disengaged so
The hub will just turn around it
the axle is floating in free air the drilled out hub or machined could be having a 1/8 inch free play it does not mather the axle is just freefloating and not turning same as what we did in the early days off the jeep until the freefloating hubs came about
Willy

 

[Seth_O]

Is the tranny input shaft hardened steel? I thought I recalled reading somewhere it was. If that's the case - it goes into a bronze pilot bushing on the flywheel. I think that's the route I would go for the same reason previously listed - if one of them is going to wear, I want it to be the bushing.

Add this one to the list. Sigh........

 

[oddshot]

I used bronze bushings because I wanted them to be softer material than the axle splines. The bushings are easy and cheap to replace. I used a bronze 2" boat propeller shaft for my bronze material. It was a short piece left over in a scrap bin. As you can see from the pictures, I also drilled, tapped and put zeros in the end of the flange cap for greasing.

I saw the work that you did and I think it looks great. I also think that the bronze will work just fine in this application.

My only problem is finding it. Do you have any left in your scrap bin?

I'm kinda at a fork in the road. I've already de-splined a set of hubs that I can use, but I really would like to see if I can put bushings in before going any further.

Because there are a number of guys here that would like to do this ... I'm going to keep searching for a source and I'll post it here.

If anybody know of a source for bronze like this ... please help out.

oddshot

 

[dodgedougak]

Sorry, I only had a short piece and I used that! Check with local boat shops or machine shops? Good luck

 

[frank8003]

So I want 2 inch OD or larger, Bronze with a 1-5/8 or less hole thru it but how long?
Suspect half a foot would do. I'm going on a search now

 

[steve6x6x6]

I have run desplined hubs for many years. They work fine. However those of you with M35A3s do not want to run them unless you put some sort of support in the end of the hub to hold the shaft. There is a bushing in the non A3 axles that was left out when they modified the older axles to handle the CTIS. So if you have no support on the end of the hub the shaft will drag on the inside of the wheel shaft opening. Ask me how I know that and I will tell you about the heat generated by letting the axle drag on the shaft tube.

Not sure where this info. came from but it is incorrect, the A3 is the same spindle as the A2, modified with an air port , they both have a bushings in the spindle.

 

[steve6x6x6]

There is no reason to run two except for the emotional appeal of elegant symmetry.

If you run one, the axle on one side runs forward at road speed. The diff carrier is not turning since the transfer case is not engaged. The other (disconnected) axle stub turns in the opposite direction at road speed. Yes, the spider gears are precessing around to make this happen.

Spinning spider gears this way under no load and in a bath of gear oil produces no wear. They will do this from now until the end of time, no problem.

For the same reason, you only require one lockout hub. Most folks run two, because it seems that you should have two. Detroit has built millions of trucks that split only one axle to disconnect the front drive for a good 25 years or more. It obviously does not cause a problem.

I could wright a complete page on this one. I will start with one - "spinning side gear" - where is the gear oil coming from to oil all these moving parts. If the drive shaft is not turnning it and axle is not turnning it, there is NO oil moving moving because the main large drive gear in the dead sitting in the oil? These moving parts will burn up with out oil. I have a rockwell front on the stands with oil in it. If the oil level is high, in the center of the site plug, this will lude the inturnal gears and work. If the oil level is low, a knuckle down, these gears are toast.