TC 1/2 Shaft Kit Installation

[Kameron M]

Hello All,
I'm doing my rear wheel bearings at the moment and I am fitting on Roger's wheel bearing nut and seal kit.
What I was confused about was the matter regarding the half shaft and the steel sleeve that he supplies. From his instructions, I gathered that I am supposed to JB weld the sleeve 'round my half shaft such that the shaft fits around his oil seal. This is all well and good, I think, however I'm not exactly sure WHERE to put the sleeve and JB weld, as the 1/2 shaft can rather freely slide in either direction in or out of the hub and the pumpkin inside.

[Richard Michell]

I was hoping someone who has actually done this might answer but, if I understand what you are saying, the half shaft is a free sliding fit in the diff - which it also should be - but also it is a free sliding fit in the outer hub - which it should not be. It should need to be pressed in, to the correct depth. If your half shaft were "fixed" in the hub it would presumably be fairly obvious where the sleeve had to be positioned in order for the seal to run on it. Is your situation as I have described?

[Kameron M]

Yes, my Halfshaft is not a firm press fit into the hub, at least not on the left side it isn't. I haven't pulled it out all the way but it does have about 1 inch of wiggle back and forth, and it feels like a good sharp pull would cause the two to come un-connected. It feels pretty firm in the twisty direction, and it doesn't have any wobble side to side either, but it can be coaxed to slide by hand. As you reach either extreme of the travel it feels like it starts to bind somewhat, though it does also feel like it would come out by hand, or a light hammering.

Considering that the rear wheel bearings were shot, I wonder if any of the weeble-wobbling in its past years of service might have caused this. Do I need a new shaft? New hubs (please god no)?

[Steve Simmons]

The hub and/or axle is bad. It should take about 12 tons of pressure to press the hub onto the axle. Some people have welded the hub onto the axle, but there is risk involved. You don't want to disturb the hardening of the axle with the weld, and the hub needs to be perfectly straight. Running it loose is certainly not an option because it will only get worse. Since it has been running loose up until now, check the condition of the hub to axle housing surfaces. They should not have play either.

I haven't installed Roger's kit so I can't comment on that. I picked up Bob G's setup including axles with new hubs pre-installed. When I removed the old ones, one hub literally slid off the axle shaft and hit the floor!

[Kameron M]

How about do I go checking these things to see what needs replaced?

[frenchblatter]

How about you ask Roger.

[Kameron M]

Seems like both of my hubs and half shafts are shot. Fortunately, they aren't made of solid gold price wise, only solid silver.