rear axle retaining plates direction?

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rollingthunder

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
85
I ask the question "does it matter which way the axle retainer plates face" because I slipped the axles into my ford 9 inch and tightened the retainer and bakcing plate.which by the way has 2.5 backspacing. Same as the axle housing.. and when I tighten donws the retaining bolts to even 15 ft lbs. I can't move the hub to get to the other bolts unless I turn the pinoin by hand.. so I took the axles out and looked at the retaining plates..they were pressed on when I received them and the side facing the bearing is flat and the side facing outwards has a little bevel on the inside ring where the bearing goes..it seems to me the bevel should be riding on the bearing? If this is not my problem then any suggestion on hetting the hub to move semi freely??? Thanks all!!
 
It sounds like the plate is on backwards.
Are the plates on both axles on the same way?
Are these new axles or just new bearings pressed on used axles?
The bearing has to bottom out on the shoulder of the axle
Can you post a pic
 
I will post a pic at 4 ocklock..they are new axles from currie..the description said bearings not pressed but when I gotthem they were on..I took it to one shop and the guy said it looks like they are on all the way..also they said it was going to be a tapperroller bearing which I believe is a closed bearing but I can see the bearings through a 3/8 gap
 
Update to my 3 day setback... I. Put grease on the tips of the axles and saw the longer passenger side.axle was slight longer then what currie said it was supposed to be..so I grinding off about 1/8 inch..so now the rubber seal on the bearing completely seats in the housing.before it was sticking out.. but still the axle go in and spin freely.but as soon as I get about 10 foot pounds it get extemely tough to turn.. I have attached two pictures ..one of each side of the axle housing with the backing plates of just to see the bearing at the housing... I'm. About to throw in the towel..haha but realy I have no idea what to do..currie had no help what so ever except to grind...wow 600 dollars for new axles and I gotta grind the hell outta them
 

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You said that Currie told you they would be

without bearings and they came with the bearings? Is it possible that these are the wrong ones?? Maybe you got somebody's returns and they simply restocked them with the bearings on without checking.....I'd call Currie and see if the axles should have been minus the bearings..if the answer is yes..then get them pressed off and get the ones specifically for your diff....that is where I would start....JMHO
 
That's what I origanaly thought about the return..but when I called currie they said they have been pressing them on for a couple months and speedway never changed the description... either way I grinded one side down a little and they won't take them back... speedway sucks.. I've gotten so much returened junk from them
 
Obviously the splinded ends are correct....

That's what I origanaly thought about the return..but when I called currie they said they have been pressing them on for a couple months and speedway never changed the description... either way I grinded one side down a little and they won't take them back... speedway sucks.. I've gotten so much returened junk from them

cause they fit your center section..right? are the axles the correct length? If so, I'd really try getting at least one new bearing set and having it pressed on and trying it again..then you're only out the cost of the bearing and whatever labor for pressing it...I suspect that you have the wrong bearing for your specific housing.....(man I gotta slow down typing...making a ton of errors)
 
This is also the housing you had welded up at a body shop correct? Possible that the axle tube was warped enough from heat that the bearing is not setting correctly? Just a thought...
 
Oh man....I missed that part....

This is also the housing you had welded up at a body shop correct? Possible that the axle tube was warped enough from heat that the bearing is not setting correctly? Just a thought...

BED is right....might be warped.....good catch BED....
 
Yep. Even a slightly warped axle tube will chew up bearings like it's job, so if gung-ho joe the bodyman laid his super weld on it with nothing to hold the tubes in place, it may be bad news...
 
Yeah but I ended up taking a pie out of the coilover mounts and didn't reweld the tubes. And I've checked straightness with a lazer guide and a straight edge. Also the axles turn freely when they are in the housing and the set in..it has something to do with the bearings..or retainers...I mean speedway has great service and shipping but I have gotten some weird things like backing plates with all the spring and bolts in old ziplock bags..just small stuff like that we're I immediately had to check for missing parts..which were indeed missing..not a big deal just a pain
 
Yeah I saw a really bad one just a week ago..

Yep. Even a slightly warped axle tube will chew up bearings like it's job, so if gung-ho joe the bodyman laid his super weld on it with nothing to hold the tubes in place, it may be bad news...

Guy narrowed a 9" for his camaro and had some "welder" do the ends...you could see the flanges were wrong by eye....shafts bound up, it was ugly bad....guy went and bought a narrowed housing from another vendor.....
 
Update to my 3 day setback... I. Put grease on the tips of the axles and saw the longer passenger side.axle was slight longer then what currie said it was supposed to be..so I grinding off about 1/8 inch..so now the rubber seal on the bearing completely seats in the housing.before it was sticking out.. but still the axle go in and spin freely.but as soon as I get about 10 foot pounds it get extemely tough to turn.. I have attached two pictures ..one of each side of the axle housing with the backing plates of just to see the bearing at the housing... I'm. About to throw in the towel..haha but realy I have no idea what to do..currie had no help what so ever except to grind...wow 600 dollars for new axles and I gotta grind the hell outta them
Use a cut off wheel on your grinder and take another 1/8 off the axle even a 1/4", it's not goin to hurt a thing, sounds like it's still bottoming out!!! Bevel the splined end a little too.
The flanges are fine.
 
Alright rat rodders.. that did it..I took the cuttof wheel and took about another 3/8 off.. it goes in nice and smooth and now I can turnthe flanges with my pinky... thanks for the consturctive advice..sometime when your sttuck on something you get stuck..haha ..and sometime you need a little nudge in the right direction to say screw it I'm gonna chop the axles...thanks again
 
Good deal......

Alright rat rodders.. that did it..I took the cuttof wheel and took about another 3/8 off.. it goes in nice and smooth and now I can turnthe flanges with my pinky... thanks for the consturctive advice..sometime when your sttuck on something you get stuck..haha ..and sometime you need a little nudge in the right direction to say screw it I'm gonna chop the axles...thanks again

Old Iron, you da man!!!! Completely Forgot some of those aftermarket axles come long and ready to cut to fit....nice call man....saved RT a lot of grief.....[cl
 

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