Taking Up New Residence

[Glenwood]

Nice job kid! it's all coming together nicely.

 

[malex]

Excellent progress Kid! It's obvious that you're enjoying the old Polara immensely throughout the build and that's the way it should be. High quality work, everything done as good as it could possibly be.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

There's several on YouTube and they all seem to be struggling with the puller. I even saw one guy wrestling with a bar that he sticks between the fingers on the puller. I just had to show how easy it is.

You must be doing it wrong KK. There was no swearing, no bleeding knuckles and no bent drum ;-)

Nice job on the vid, you can't go wrong with the right tool. I recently went through this, separated drum/hub and used later model slip on drums. Glad I did it!

Your car sounds great BTW!!

 

[khryslerkid]

You must be doing it wrong KK. There was no swearing, no bleeding knuckles and no bent drum ;-)

Nice job on the vid, you can't go wrong with the right tool. I recently went through this, separated drum/hub and used later model slip on drums. Glad I did it!

Your car sounds great BTW!!

I talked with Cass, Doctor Diff, and he's sending me everything to change the tapered axels over to the flanged axel. I'll have to change the backing plates to the newer style and drums too. I have an open 2.76 in the car now. I obtained a 3.23 sure grip and the tapered axels for the open rear are longer than if the car had a sure grip. So I need axels anyway. I'll document the conversion.

 

[Centerline]

You were lucky! On my '64, using the exact same tool it took two days and a whole lot of heat to break it loose on the driver's side. The passenger's side was a bit easier. That's the reason I wrote the article on how to switch tapered axle rears to slip on drums. http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/TaperedAxleBrakes.html Cost was under $100 including drums and believe me... servicing the rear brakes is much easier now.

 

[khryslerkid]

You were lucky! On my '64, using the exact same tool it took two days and a whole lot of heat to break it loose on the driver's side. The passenger's side was a bit easier. That's the reason I wrote the article on how to switch tapered axle rears to slip on drums. http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/TaperedAxleBrakes.html Cost was under $100 including drums and believe me... servicing the rear brakes is much easier now.

I was wondering where that article got to. It was on Crankshaft Coalition then removed. I knew you were the author and it is well done. Thanks again!

I would have gone that route but I needed the shorter axels to change over to a sure grip. So Dr Diff is hooking me up with flanged ones.

The passenger side was a little stubborn but after putting it under all of the tension that I dared, I took a 8 lb sledge and smacked the puller right on the end. About three hits and she let go. I know some can be stubborn. I did quite a few brake jobs on these and other makes back in the day.

 

[Bart K]

I've been working on the steering column and brake pedal assembly. Time consuming...
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Here's a good idea for blasting small parts and hardware. Saw it on YouTube one day.
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Really nice work Kid!

 

[oldbee]

KK those axles are a B----h! I did one way back & said never again.

 

[Centerline]

I was wondering where that article got to. It was on Crankshaft Coalition then removed. I knew you were the author and it is well done. Thanks again!

I would have gone that route but I needed the shorter axels to change over to a sure grip. So Dr Diff is hooking me up with flanged ones.

The passenger side was a little stubborn but after putting it under all of the tension that I dared, I took a 8 lb sledge and smacked the puller right on the end. About three hits and she let go. I know some can be stubborn. I did quite a few brake jobs on these and other makes back in the day.

You could have saved some bucks and just had your local machine shop shorten the stock axles. Its a simple job for them. On the other hand Dr. Diff does sell good stuff and he knows what he's talking about. I had to call him when rebuilding my diff. I needed a couple axle shims and found out no one makes them anymore. Had two choices... make my own or shorten the thrust button to compensate and that's what I ended up doing.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

You could have saved some bucks and just had your local machine shop shorten the stock axles. Its a simple job for them. On the other hand Dr. Diff does sell good stuff and he knows what he's talking about. I had to call him when rebuilding my diff. I needed a couple axle shims and found out no one makes them anymore. Had two choices... make my own or shorten the thrust button to compensate and that's what I ended up doing.

Been there too - I had to make my own backing plate shims and fit a thrust button as PO put mine together without either!

 

[khryslerkid]

I was thinking about having the axles shortened. The charts show 1/8" difference. I've even heard of guys grinding them. If you don't take enough off your back to the machine shop, too much and they would be scrap. Then you still have to do the drum conversion to ease brake shoe replacement, then cost of the newer drums.

So changing to the newer axles you have the ease of drum removal and you have the ease of changing out the gear set if you decide to.

Did some measurements on where the drum surface will be with the new axles and it's the same as factory. Just received them but I'm still cleaning up the housing ect so I'll update later. (I suppose to be doing a brake job here!)

 

[khryslerkid]

I haven't been slacking!

 

[khryslerkid]

Before and After

 

[khryslerkid]

Guess what!

3.23 Sure Grip ready to take the place of the 2.76 Open gears.

Removing the old gearing. My trans plate came in handy.

 

[khryslerkid]

Ordered a lot of these parts from NAPA. They had everything I needed for the axle and center section swap the next day. The warehouse sent two tailpipes instead of two inner axle gaskets. I'll have them tomorrow.

Found this in the brake shoe box. I'll have the replacements Tuesday.

This week; install the center section, clean up and paint small parts, backing plates ect. Glad to be out from under this car, one more time!

 

[Glenwood]

looking good under there! I hated cleaning up under mine, but after it was all done, it's almost a pleasure crawling under a clean underside. No rust or grime falling in my face is nice for a change

 

[Glenwood]

double posted for some reason sorry!

 

[khryslerkid]

Refurbished the vent and brake line block. Found what was left of a gasket under the block when I removed it, so I made another one.

I had to bend the bracket for the brake line so the new hose had some slack in it with the rear at its lowest travel. Maybe the new hose was a bit short?
Check this when installing a new hose!

I used two good coats of copper coat on both sides of the gasket. We'll see how it works. Originally I found just a gasket.

The nuts for the third member have a plastic poured into a hole in the side of each one. Did they do this after the nuts were tightened? I've seen this done with universal joints, instead of using a "C" clip.

Third member installed.

Had a couple of questions on the install.
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/a-couple-of-questions-about-your-rear-ends.135587/

 

[MW 413]

Lookín good KK.

 

[bigaadams]

the plastic is there from new and when you install them the first time they act as an interference fit, a lock nut by design...some nuts have this nylock ring inserted on the end of the nut and kept in place by rolled edge of the nut..same thing-only different