rear axel

[maddog]

well i tore into the rear diff today to see what the gears looked like and found out that they are still good after finding that out i decided to raise the back tires of the ground as soon as the right rear left the ground it shifted (the tire not the car or axel) well after a bit of looking i found out that the axel nut had some how become very loose and that the tire and hub had been moving. well after taking the nut off i was able to pull the tire and hub off together and found out that the hub had been striped completely smooth as well as part of the axel shaft. so i don't need gears i need a new shaft and hub but i was wondering if it is normal for the rear axel shaft to be able to be removed by just removing the four bolts that hold the brakes on?

[eaglebeek]

Yes...remove the four bolts and nuts holding the brake backing plate to the axle. The bearing retainer comes off with the backing plate. You will then need a puller to force the axle shaft...with the outer wheel bearing...out of the tube.

[maddog]

unfortunately the shaft is almost completely smooth except for a few teeth which are almost completely gone the good news is i have about nine or ten eagles at a local yard that doesn't crush to get the parts from. as for removing the shaft from the housing i was just curious as i had heard it had a c clip holding it in inside the diff. oh and i didn't need a puller for the shaft.

[maddog]

well at $70 apeice i wish i could but i don't have much money or anywhere to store them.

[maddog]

well went to the local yard this morning to get a axle shaft and hub and the the one they gave me looked like mine but it was from a 76' Pacer got home and went to put it in and all but an inch before the bearings of it went in. so it looks like i'll have to go back and try to get the right one.

[carnuck]

Pacer ones are "special". I got tired os swapping those hubs on mine and went with a complete XJ diff, but my gear ratio made it easy.

[BenM]

No way a Pacer axle will work! (WMS Numbers approx...)
Vehicle   Years           F. Track   R. Track   F. WMS    R. WMS
Pacer   1975-1980   61.20   60.20   64.20   63.20
Eagle   1980-1988   59.60   57.60   62.60   60.60

[maddog]

i should add this is just the shaft and hub not the whole axel.

[maddog]

does anyone know how to get a hub off a shaft because i can't get it of and none of the parts stores have one that will work.

[eaglebeek]

i think you have to use a pretty heavy duty hydraulic press to get it off. but, once the hub is off, i dont think it can be used again. the axle shaft cuts splines into the hub. and they cant be recut into it.

This is from the AMC manual:

You can put the hub on the axle shaft on which it was originally installed....FWIW I have had one of my hubs on and off and have had no issues. You can also install a replacement hub on an original axle shaft. Since this is from the factory manual I would have to assume they meant the replacement hub would be a new part. If you're replacing the axle shaft you must also replace the hub.

Conclusion: I would not attempt to install a used hub to any axle shaft except the shaft from which it was removed. 

[maddog]

no i am not trying to put a used hub on a different shaft i had to get the hub off my new shaft so i could install it because it still had the brake back plate on it and it was originally from the left side and i need a new right sided one (thank god bothe sides are the same) as i had somehow lost my cotter pin and had thus destroyed the original hub and shaft. but i finally got the new one in after getting very angry and creative at the same time.

[maddog]

yeah she's fixed now i just have to bleed the brakes.

[carnuck]

I welded the shaft to the hub on my Pacer years ago when none could be found. I figured on another couple weeks driving and it lasted me 2 years.