Semi floating axel

[TeZZaP]

I'm having trouble getting my rear axel apart; mine looks to be different to the manual... I believe it should have;

Axle flange
Backing plate
Bearing housing (sandwiching the backing plate to the axel flange)
And the shaft assemble running thought them all

My one appears to be missing the bearing housing (or has a different style one), I've taken the backing plate bolts out, but the backing plate just slides back until it hits the shaft assemble (the bit with the road wheel studs in it) whereas the manual says once the nuts have been removed that the backing plate plus bearing housing should all come off with the shaft assemble...

All very odd, and I can't work out what's stopping the whole lot from simply sliding out, and I don't want to bash the crap out of it until I know which bits to hit! Anyone done this before and recognize mine?

56276

[chazza]

It is ages since I have done this, so my memory is a bit hazy but looking at the manua;l try thumping the flange where the wheel bolts on away from the car and the hub housing, backing plate and half-shaft should all come out together.

If it is really difficult to get out - it shouldn't be - then it may mean the splines are twisted at the differential end ; inspect closely,

Cheers Charlie

[Andrew Morris]

My guess is that the bearing housing is just held in place by age. I put a punch on the rim where the bearing housing should come away and tapped hard all the way round until it began to move.

[russellrovers]

I'm having trouble getting my rear axel apart; mine looks to be different to the manual... I believe it should have;

Axle flange
Backing plate
Bearing housing (sandwiching the backing plate to the axel flange)
And the shaft assemble running thought them all

My one appears to be missing the bearing housing (or has a different style one), I've taken the backing plate bolts out, but the backing plate just slides back until it hits the shaft assemble (the bit with the road wheel studs in it) whereas the manual says once the nuts have been removed that the backing plate plus bearing housing should all come off with the shaft assemble...

All very odd, and I can't work out what's stopping the whole lot from simply sliding out, and I don't want to bash the crap out of it until I know which bits to hit! Anyone done this before and recognize mine?

56276
yes you n eed a brass drift as a chisel and good sharp tap 4 pound hammer and spray on inox it will move as said before maye damage o the spline regards jim

[wrinklearthur]

If you heat the face up where the backing plate sat, the rust will give away to allow movement of the bearing retainer.

Other then that, its tapping around the flange until you get it free.

Just thinking about a tough couple I have done.

On one I used a Portapower with some chain onto the wheel studs to preload the parts to assist the tapping off the bearing retainer.

Another time, the rollers in the bearing were completely gone and the inner didn't hold the axle in at all, no drive, no brakes and a sudden let down on that corner.
.

[TeZZaP]

Hi everyone, thanks for your responses, just to clarify, my axle does not appear to have the hub (in red)... which makes me wonder what's actually holding the shaft in - the backing plate bolts don't go though anything other than the backing plate and the axel flange :eek:

Anyhow... so, basically, everything in yellow should just pull-out?

56295

[MuckUte]

For stubborn axles i've used a slide hammer attached to the wheel studs.

[harry]

Hi everyone, thanks for your responses, just to clarify, my axle does not appear to have the hub (in red)... which makes me wonder what's actually holding the shaft in - the backing plate bolts don't go though anything other than the backing plate and the axel flange :eek:

Anyhow... so, basically, everything in yellow should just pull-out?

56295

methinks your drawing should have the red bit on the other side of the brake backing plate.
but i don't know about your axle, i suspect the bearing is just frozen with rust

[gromit]

The bolts should hold the brake backplate up against the bearing housing and onto the rear axle.

The only photo I can find shows the other side of the bearing housing (with a welding bodge to hold the collar on ), the backplate is underneath but you can't see it that well in this photo.
The recess with the bolt holes in connects to the end of the axle so all you will see a small increase in diameter just before the back of the backplate on yours (there is a flange on the end of the axle but the bearing housing just hangs over the edge of this flange). This is where you need to use a brass drift and a hammer.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/03/1041.jpg



Colin

[TeZZaP]

OK, I think I'm there now... So what I have been thinking is the axel flange, is really the bearing housing/axel flange rusted together... time for some whacking!
:cool: