Swivel & Hub Reassembly

Hello All,

I have got both my front sides stripped back to the axle casing. There are a number of outstanding questions, perhaps problems, that I have before I can reassemble now.

Firstly, I should be berated for removing everything and not taking pictures and notes along the way. I intended too and started well, however, everything became such an obstacle along the way I lost where I was with it all and now have a load of bits and no idea about which way or order to reassemble them.

So, that out the way I guess I should start from where I believe is the first step and my first question. Putting the oil seal retainer and oil seal over the axle to hang whilst I attach the swivel housing ball. Can you confirm that I have them fitted the right way round (PHOTO 1.0)? Also, I believe in the end of the axle housing you can see an oil seal which again I can't remove. It looks to me to be okay but feel having gone so far I should try to remove everything and check it all. Although I'm reluctant to remove a good seal and break it in the process if I don't have to.

PHOTO 1.0

Next, the swivel housing. I was trying to reuse mine but have a railko bush stuck in one (PHOTO 2.0), the bearings still stuck in both (PHOTO 2.1) and what looks like major pitting (PHOTO 2.2). I have no experience to relate the wear too but looks to me like it is well passed it's best so even if the stuck bush and bearings can be dealt with perhaps there is no point trying to save something past useful anyway.

PHOTO 2.0

PHOTO 2.1

PHOTO 2.2
I have beat the **** out of the railko bush with a punch (hence the marks) and it hasn't budged a bit. I have tried prising the bearings out (hence slight distortion) and they haven't budged a bit either. Even if the ball needs replacing it might be nice to hear how I might remove these in future from a decent ball as I just can't see it? I don't have access to a good bench vice at the moment which isn't helping. CAN SOMEONE ALSO EDUCATE ME on how I use the railko bush? There is the housing part of it and the disc bit seperately. I get the housing bit goes into the top of the swivel housing but where does the disc bit go? Just into the housing?? What does it do/how does it work?

I know at some point I need to stick my halfshafts back in. They had obliterated all their bearings so I fitted new UJ's. They are pictured (PHOTO3.0) to show the condition of them as they are far from perfect also. I can't afford to replace them anyway now so will make do but can anyone confirm how bad these are? When they go back in do they just slide straight into the diff and turn until the splines slip in or do I need to be careful with how they go in?

PHOTO 3.0

Now is where I lose track of what goes where and in what order. I have the workshop manual but haven't found it overly useful for this and other write ups on the web assume a little bit too much for a first timer like me - I will write a real step-by-step guide for this job after I've completed it.

Any step-by-step pointers from here on in would be really appreciated.

your chrome ball is knackered rialko bush has washer of same material that sits in bottom for pin to thrust against fit new seals they do pull over axle end ,shafts take abit of wiggling put push fit,you need to fit seal and retainer over axle end then fit brgs to new chrome ball and rialko bush dont fit with hammer use a suitable dolly fit ball .fit swivel housing and shim top pin to get 8 to 10 lb pull on inner hole on steering arm after initial movement ,then fasten seal to rear push half shaft through,fit stub axle ,hub,set brgs by tightening to set brg then slacken off and retighten just to remove freeplay fit tab washer and outer nut tighten and lock washer to both nuts,fit drive member etc

in the third pic there are two collars on the half shaft.. one is for the bearing in the chrome ball to run on and the other is for the seal in the end of the axle tube to seal against. if they are not in good condition you will kill the seal and get vibration from the half shaft movement. (whilst you have it apart its worth changing the seal in the axle tube)
the two collars are an interferance fit so may need a bit of persuasion with an angle grinder to get off but be carefull not to mark the half shaft, the new ones will need to be warmed sufficiantley to enable them to expand and slid into place.

There are some good exploded diagrams in the parts catalogue. The balls look completely shot so I'd replace anyway. The way to take the bush out is to leave the ball on the axle and place a round bar through the bottom bearing and then tap the bush out upward. With the bush out you should be able to get a long punch on the edge of the bottom bearing and tap it out through the bush hole.

Thanks James, I think I follow that. ...and Pef, I did see those collars but couldn't budge them and then forgot about them. No doubt I would have realised again when I tried to reinsert the half shaft but again that would have halted my job so having that kind of thing pointed out to me now so I can prepare fully for the reassembly is so useful.

I can try grinding them off but fear the risk of me mucking the half shaft up in the process. I can try to hammer them off but again, I am worried about damaging the half shaft in the process. Are they okay to grip tight in the vice or can I stand them on end and try to knock the collars off without affecting the shafts too much or do I really need to grind them if they don't come off with ease?

oxides said:

There are some good exploded diagrams in the parts catalogue. The balls look completely shot so I'd replace anyway. The way to take the bush out is to leave the ball on the axle and place a round bar through the bottom bearing and then tap the bush out upward. With the bush out you should be able to get a long punch on the edge of the bottom bearing and tap it out through the bush hole.

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Thank you mate. I have done all this with the parts catalogue and workshop manuals in front of me but still struggling a bit without any previous experience of what to expect. I hadn't previously appreciated how valuable it is to have someone of experience nearby to just advise on things when needed but I'll be a man of experience myself at the end of all this!

That's some great advice for removing the bush and bearing, I'll have a crack at that first thing tomorrow.

Andy.

you cant knock them off, the best way really is to grind them but do it slowly and when there is only a thin layer left a quick tap with a hammer and cold chisel will fracture what is left of the collar and then they will come off.
oh and the chrome balls look well borked, sling em and get new, paddocks do kits.

is sealo and brg collar worn didnt look too bad in piccy hard to see though

jamesmartin said:

is sealo and brg collar worn didnt look too bad in piccy hard to see though

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On the half shaft? Don't look worn but everything with this job has been such a ball ache I'd quite like to get it all replaced whilst it's apart - especially as I already have all the parts for the job. I'll compare them to the new parts though and if they really are identical perhaps I'll leave them on.

btw, you have an ep90 bottle in the background. It's GL5. You havent been putting this stuff in your GB, have you?

philvy said:

btw, you have an ep90 bottle in the background. It's GL5. You havent been putting this stuff in your GB, have you?

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Mate, I haven't put it in anything, it was just picked up on a whim as was cheap and I thought I needed some EP90. That said, I would have happily used it for anything that suggested EP90. That is until you just bought it to my attention. Have done a bit of googling and see that I need to be avoiding GL5 for certain things. Okay in my front diff though right?

Water247 said:

Mate, I haven't put it in anything, it was just picked up on a whim as was cheap and I thought I needed some EP90. That said, I would have happily used it for anything that suggested EP90. That is until you just bought it to my attention. Have done a bit of googling and see that I need to be avoiding GL5 for certain things. Okay in my front diff though right?

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Well, yes. And then again, no.
Your swivel doesnt look like winning beauty contest, and you're just doing it anew. Wanna take the risk? Thought not.

Is it a doozil? If yes, see it as a bottle of expensive doozil and put it in your tank. If it's a petrol, put it in the tank aswell.
I think you COULD use it in the swivels... I wouldnt. And wont (I'm doing my balls soon, too.)

I'm very green so don't take advantage of me are you serious about chucking it in the tank?!! (she's a petrol)

I've already decided I need to shell out on new balls. I realise now how bad they were - I had to post and ask though as I've never seen any before so wasn't aware just what degree of wear was acceptable. You're right, I am basically doing the lot anew and don't fancy taking a shortcut now which might mean having to do it all again in a years time. I'm hoping done properly this will see me good for the next decade!

Water247 said:

I'm very green so don't take advantage of me are you serious about chucking it in the tank?!! (she's a petrol)

I've already decided I need to shell out on new balls. I realise now how bad they were - I had to post and ask though as I've never seen any before so wasn't aware just what degree of wear was acceptable. You're right, I am basically doing the lot anew and don't fancy taking a shortcut now which might mean having to do it all again in a years time. I'm hoping done properly this will see me good for the next decade!

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Well, searching first is a great step away from being green I'd say!

About putting it into the tank: yes, I'm serious. Doesnt do harm as long as it's diluted. Had my 2.25 petrol running on 25l petrol to 5l 20W50 once. Didnt want to bin it, and knew I was selling the engine and woulnd change the oil anymore, so in it went... And it wont damage your petrol pump as the GL5 is diluted.
It basically depends on you attitude. I prefer having the same oil everywhere, as I'm not sure about mixing gl4 and gl5 lateron (and you will need to if you dont want to keep buying gl4. Even if you do them new, they'll leak, or you did something wrong... )

Reg balls: have some:
DA3181 SWIVEL HOUSING KIT SERIES 2A & 3 | shop | www.lrseries.com | L. R. Series
SWIVELKIT Swivel Housing Kit (later type with steering arm on the bottom - from mid 1960s)

Mind, there's a difference between early and late type tho. Something about steering arm mounted low or high