Rebuilding axles

I have a 300TDi 1994. Both axles are in complete working order other than a diff input seal on the front which I'm fixing tomorrow anyway. Both axles have physical damage with the front axle having a massive dent in the diff pan and the rear axle casing peppered with holes. I know I could replace the pan on the front one but I've been offered a pair of casings for £110 so I'm looking at rebuilding them into the new casings after I've had them bead blasted and repainted......

So has anyone got a shopping list of all the parts needed to rebuild them (other than parts I might reject after taking them apart)?

Have I missed anything with this list such as gaskets, seals etc?

Possibly I will remove the actual swivel housing itself from the list as I can't see any damage to it or am I best just doing it anyway......

I'm going to replace the flexible brake hose and then after the Y connector I will make a new solid brake pipe to near the caliber where I want to use a flexible pipe for the final part of the fit. (is this feasible?)

I'm sure I've missed all manner of bearings, seals and gaskets.......

There is a strong possibility that I will just rebuild the rear IF the front is too expensive as it still works fine.

Rear axle

1 x Diff input oil seal [don't need as just bought them]
1 x Diff input bearing pinion
1 x Timken wheel bearing kit
2 x Timken stub axle bearing and seal kit
1 x Disc kit
2 x calipers & pads [don't need as just bought them]
1 x Wading plug axle case breather
1 x Flexible brake pipe
2 x short braided hoses to attach to new rigid hoses

Front axle

1 x Diff input oil seal [don't need as just bought them]
1 x Diff input bearing pinion
1 x Timken wheel bearing kit
1 x Vented disc kit
2 x vented calipers & pads
2 x Swivel kit (FRC7065 - OEM Swivel Housing- 1 ea, 606666 - Swivel Pin Bearing - 2 ea, 571752 - Drive Memebr Gasket- 1 ea, FTC3401 - Swivel Oil Seal - 1 ea, 571755 - Plate - 1 ea, FRC2883 - Shim - 1 ea, FRC2884 - Shim - 1 ea, FRC2885 - Shim - 1 ea, FRC2886 - Shim - 1 ea, FTC3646 - Swivel to Axle Gasket - 1 ea, FTC3648 - Stub Axle Gasket - 1 ea, FTC3276 - Swivel Housing Rear Seal - 1 ea, FTC2882 - Swivel Pin Upper - 1 ea, STC3435S - Swivel Housing One Shot Grease - 1 ea)
1 x Wading plug axle case breather
1 x Flexible brake pipe
2 x short braided hoses to attach to new rigid hoses



*** OR CHEAP OPTION ***

If I buy a REAR axle casing is it possible to:

remove the wheels
remove the current callipers.
remove the half shafts.
remove the rear axle
remove the diff from the rear axle
disconnect the entire assembly of hub/disc/bearings and attach them to the new axle as a single assembly
then add steps 1-5 in reverse?

I can't remember if you have to disassemble everything to disconnect all the rest from the casing......

Then I just weld on a new diff pan to the front.

Oil [emoji106]

Are you thinking of replacing the tapered roller bearings that go either side of the diff carrier? I did last year when my axles were apart. They probably don't wear very much as they live inside the diff casing smothered in oil but I thought I might as well seeing as everything was apart.

If you're taking the diff mechanisms out of the axles, the 3/8" unf nuts that hold the diff carrier onto the axle casing are made of really soft metal and tend to get a bit butchered, so have some spare 3/8" unf nylocks to hand. I think it's ten per axle. A 3/8" unf die is useful to clean up the threads on the studs too.

You might want to get some new seal retainers as these are made out of quite thin sheet metal and can deteriorate.

Where the brakes are concerned it is useful to have some spare metal brake pipe to hand and a flaring tool and some fresh compression nuts (male or female depending on what yours has) as it is easy to break the pipes when the nuts are seized.

Yes, in my limited experience the disc braked axle casings are pretty much interchangeable. You'll have to take everything apart though as the stub axles need to go on first, and you can't get at the bolts until the hub is out of the way.

Plenty of Locktite and gasket sealant too. And you might as well buy new bolts where possible while you're ordering as a few of them are bound to need their heads cutting off or get butchered in the process.

Here's my efforts from a few months ago
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/axle-refurbishments-272149.html

Thanks. I've been offered a pair of axles in good condition for £250 inc diffs, brakes and callipers..... I'm tempted to just get them and stick my new rear discs and callipers on.

Sounds like a bargain to me. It's always good to have spares then you can refurbish them at your leisure and then just swap them over in a weekend (or less) when they're ready.

Brown said:

Sounds like a bargain to me. It's always good to have spares then you can refurbish them at your leisure and then just swap them over in a weekend (or less) when they're ready.

Click to expand...

Except that the new discs and callipers are already on it


but yes does sound good and I get 2 newer, lower mileage diffs that are matched with 2 lower mileage axles and the front has vented discs and callipers which I was looking at adding anyway.....