Front Axle Service - Ball and Claw Axles

[Computerdoc08]

I’m doing my first front axle service on Deuce 1 and found I have the older style ball and claw axles. Ive learned that they use a different retainer than the newer u-joint axles. I have 2 different retainers installed. One with a flat side facing out and one with a stepped side facing out. Not sure if I’ll need to replace one to the old style so they match?

Any info on these older style axles is appreciated . I’ll be looking through old posts over the next few days for more info as well.


I tried a metal rod and pvc to knock out the seals... didn’t budge at all, will be trying a slide hammer tomorrow.


A few other interesting finds - the drivers side lock tab wasn't locked at all and one of the boot retainers was broken and bent in between the boot and axle. Also, 2 of the spindle studs were hardly screwed in. A few turns and they came right out.


I’ll get more pictures posted tomorrow. Ran out of steam tearing into the truck for the past 2 days.

 

[NY Tom]

If you have trouble getting the seals out you can try another method. I cut up a heavy piece of wood to go across the face of the housing and made a piece of steel I could slip into the seal. Then with a threaded rod, two nuts, and some big washers I was able to jack them out all controlled like.

 

[Computerdoc08]

Just a few more pics as I await the arrival of my new slide hammer to remove the axle seal retainers. I'm not sure how it was operating normally, but one of the axle seal retainers is for the u-joint style axle shafts.

 

[Computerdoc08]

Inner axle seal retainers finally removed. The correct retainer is missing the inner thrust washer. I ordered 2 correct retainers from White Owl.

 

[G744]

In the past, someone worked on your truck and didn't have the whole idea how.

It is simply amazing what we find done to ex-mil trucks & equipment.

Put it right, and it will last a long time.

 

[Computerdoc08]

Looks like the upper kingpin bushing need to be replaced and a spacer was missing.
I pulled a new one from my parts bin, but aI think its missing the inner bushing? The old one has grooves inside and the new one is smooth. The new one fits on the kingpin with almost no play. Can a kingpin bushing be smooth and not grooved inside?

 

[NY Tom]

Looks like the upper kingpin bushing need to be replaced and a spacer was missing.
I pulled a new one from my parts bin, but aI think its missing the inner bushing? The old one has grooves inside and the new one is smooth. The new one fits on the kingpin with almost no play. Can a kingpin bushing be smooth and not grooved inside?

The groove helps the grease get around the pin of course. I changed these also and the new ones did not have the grooves same as yours.

I ended up getting an expansion reamer and opening them up just a bit. There is a spec in the TM. After pressing them in the ID shrinks some.

I did not cut in new grooves. You could make the grooves with a Dremel.

 

[Computerdoc08]

I’ll go ahead and install what I have. I saw the specs in the TM the other day and found it in another post on this site. Attached the picture for reference.

 

[NY Tom]

I happened to have the reamer as I was also replacing the pins that hold the leaf springs to the frame. Made new pins 0.010 oversize and reamed out the worn bushings.

 

[Computerdoc08]

Drivers side kingpin shim. … the grease was hardened to a rock like consistency. No way any fresh grease could get past that clog!

 

[Computerdoc08]

I replaced the front brake cylinder and soft line from axle to brake cylinder on the passenger side…. Turned into replacing the distribution block soft line and drivers side hard line. Inspect your soft and hard lines!! The soft line is like a wet noodle!

For those of you that knew Frank8003, I purchased one of his tool bundles a while back and used some of them today. His memory lives on, he was a nice guy for sure.

 

[Computerdoc08]

A few more pics

 

[Computerdoc08]

Some old brake lines

 

[Computerdoc08]

The front axle service is finally complete! Test drive was successfu! Steering response was so much nicer and the front drum temperature after a drive barely hit 100 degrees.

New inner axle seals
New inner hub seals
New spindle nuts and star washers
NOS inner axle seal retainers for bendix axle shafts (ball and claw axles)
New upper and lower kingpin bushing
New zerk fittings
New tie rod boots
Drain and fill front differential
New boots and retaining rings
New brake cylinders
New hard brake lines in the front
All new rubber brake hoses
Power bled system x2
Adjusted brakes per TM
Tons of fresh grease
At least 60 cans of brake cleaner
Endless rags and shop towels


Drain and fill steering gear box, filled with 80w90 gear oil, removed destroyed drain plug and replaced