Is this bad? Axle issue?

[wsutard]

Took my passenger rear drum off yesterday and noticed that there seem to be teeth surrounding where the axle enters the brake housing and that they are hacked off. Not sure how this happened or if I should be concerned. Photos are below. Also looks like j have diff fluid leaking out as well.

Rear end is a Sure Grip, 488, 3.55. It will be rebuilt soon due to chatter issues.

 

[440+6]

Those teeth are not hacked off they are beat to death, but the thing that worries me is the wire holding the adjustment, there should be a tab that goes under a nut and engage the teeth to hold it.
Should not have any grease in there like that.

tab that holds the adjuster

 

[Darthomas]

Looks like someone was fairly brutal in adjusting axle end play, and you probably just need a new seal in axle housing.
No crisis.

 

[Darthomas]

I missed the part about no tab and didn't see that wire, which doesn't look like it would hold adjustment.
But if they needed to bang that hard to adjust the end play, I wouldn't expect it to be likely to move much anyway.

 

[wsutard]

I'm assuming that the "teeth" are the adjustment devices you are talking about and that the tab goes under that, any nut, and holds one of the teeth.

What are you adjusting with these teeth? Maybe I should order a tooth piece as well?

 

[wsutard]

OK, I'm reading the FSM and it looks like I should probobly rebuild the entire rear end. Anyone know a good place to get the parts for the axle out? Axle, axle bearing, bearing seal, gasket, collar, retainer?

 

[dryheat]

OK, I'm reading the FSM and it looks like I should probobly rebuild the entire rear end. Anyone know a good place to get the parts for the axle out? Axle, axle bearing, bearing seal, gasket, collar, retainer?

Call Cass at doctordiff.com ... he knows everything about Mopar rear ends and can get you almost any part.

 

[wsutard]

Learning more about the adjusters, looks like if I switch to the new Green Bearings that adjuster is no longer needed.

Anyone have comments about this?

 

[Cranky]

Many people do not like the Greens because they are a ball bearing instead of the tapered roller Timkens. Timken roller bearings take a lot more loading in all directions vs a ball but if you do not constantly drive your car like you stole it. The Greens will work good. As for the chatter issue, you may just need a fluid change with new SureGrip additive. I had a problem with a ton of chatter with a 9 1/4 at 25k miles and again at 35k miles. The SureGrip in the 9 1/4 is a Track Lok and is a different design and the additive wasn't working for it so I gave it another fluid change and shoved a 1/2 bottle of STP to it....that was 65k miles ago and it's still working fine. I don't know if the SureGrip additive has a different chemical make up these days but it didn't work well for the 9 1/4.

 

[wsutard]

Many people do not like the Greens because they are a ball bearing instead of the tapered roller Timkens. Timken roller bearings take a lot more loading in all directions vs a ball but if you do not constantly drive your car like you stole it. The Greens will work good. As for the chatter issue, you may just need a fluid change with new SureGrip additive. I had a problem with a ton of chatter with a 9 1/4 at 25k miles and again at 35k miles. The SureGrip in the 9 1/4 is a Track Lok and is a different design and the additive wasn't working for it so I gave it another fluid change and shoved a 1/2 bottle of STP to it....that was 65k miles ago and it's still working fine. I don't know if the SureGrip additive has a different chemical make up these days but it didn't work well for the 9 1/4.

Good info to know. I dont race or drag so I should be good. I have the Timken in there now. Will see which is cheaper when I take the axle in with the diff.

I have tried two different friction modifiers now. Neither one has had made a difference. We aren't talking occasional chatter. The wheels are locked together, all the time. It is a Sure Grip, no locker or spool. I am 99% positive something internal is wrong.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Those "teeth" are your axle end-play adjuster. Only one side has the adjuster. After you install both axles, you screw those "teeth" in/out with a screwdriver until your axle end-play is where you want it (for both axles at the same time) & the little "tab" 440+6 showed a picture of goes under one of the axle retainer bolts (adjuster bolts) and locks the adjuster in place so it can't loosen itself. I've always set my adjuster to "zero play" like I would a front wheel bearing.....not tightened in or loose.... but just tight enough to take out the in & out play in the axles, then I put in the locking tab to lock it in place. I'm sure there's a more technical/correct way to do it, but that's work for me the last 30 yrs. (done that job twice).

 

[wsutard]

Those "teeth" are your axle end-play adjuster. Only one side has the adjuster. After you install both axles, you screw those "teeth" in/out with a screwdriver until your axle end-play is where you want it (for both axles at the same time) & the little "tab" 440+6 showed a picture of goes under one of the axle retainer bolts (adjuster bolts) and locks the adjuster in place so it can't loosen itself. I've always set my adjuster to "zero play" like I would a front wheel bearing.....not tightened in or loose.... but just tight enough to take out the in & out play in the axles, then I put in the locking tab to lock it in place. I'm sure there's a more technical/correct way to do it, but that's work for me the last 30 yrs. (done that job twice).

You think my toothless adjuster will still work?

 

[Cranky]

Those "teeth" are your axle end-play adjuster. Only one side has the adjuster. After you install both axles, you screw those "teeth" in/out with a screwdriver until your axle end-play is where you want it (for both axles at the same time) & the little "tab" 440+6 showed a picture of goes under one of the axle retainer bolts (adjuster bolts) and locks the adjuster in place so it can't loosen itself. I've always set my adjuster to "zero play" like I would a front wheel bearing.....not tightened in or loose.... but just tight enough to take out the in & out play in the axles, then I put in the locking tab to lock it in place. I'm sure there's a more technical/correct way to do it, but that's work for me the last 30 yrs. (done that job twice).

You're supposed to set them with a bit of clearance to allow for axle growth when they heat up. I usually shoot for .010. With a clutch type (PowerLok) Sure Grip, setting the axles at '0' will usually mess up the center thrust pin and then you lose the setting all together.

You think my toothless adjuster will still work?

Get another one that's good. Someone on the site probably has one or maybe even Dr. Diff or one of the other rear end parts suppliers. I'll take a look and see if I have one still but I sold off most of my spare parts awhile back but it won't hurt to check...