Thread: How do I get my axles out of a 9" rear end???

Tweet

....Hello All, I'm trying to get the axles out of the 9" rear end that been sitting in my back yard for a few years. I took off the hubs & then the 4 bolts that hold the backing plates to the axle. From what I remember the axles should just pull out??? But they don't! .... Is there a special tool I can use the get them out??? or Just a sledge hammer??? Now the housing is really rusty but inside the brake assembly isn't that bad. So I don't think the axles are rusted in or anything. Any ideas??? THANKS Everyone, {what would I do without this site???} Bill

Never worked on a 9 inch but an 8 inch uses the same setup. The best way that I have found is to get a slide hammer and pop it out that way. If it still will not come out, apply some heat to the end of the housing where the bearing goes (right at the end where the backing plate bolts up). If it is really stubborn, apply heat while someone else works the slide hammer. Good luck.

Make up two 7/16 or 1/2 inch jacking bolts, put them 180 degrees apart between the axle flange and backing plate. Then, go to it. It probably just has a bit of rust and some grease that has turned to glue. When you get one out, you can drive the other out with a piece of pipe or use the jacking bolts bolts again. The retainer bolts have to be removed from the housing - don't lose 'em as they are hard to come by. I am using a '57 9" that probably had never been apart. The jacking bolts worked just fine.

I hate to disagree with anyone on these threads, but heat can warp the axle tubes.

i just put the drum backwards on the end of the axle, put on 3 nuts and use the drum as a slide hammer......

Originally Posted by 3rcfreak

i just put the drum backwards on the end of the axle, put on 3 nuts and use the drum as a slide hammer......

EXACTLY, You must have worked in a FORD dealership also, LOL.

A piece of chain from a wheel bolt to a heavy hunk of iron that you can swing like a golfer trying for a hole in one, and they pop right out.

The jack bolt is a good idea and works well . It's possible to bend the housing ears however if the axel is really stubborn.

You cannot use a pipe or a bar thru the housing for the second axel however as the spider pin in the diff runs across the axel hole. I just set up one for my street rod. With a spool you could.

I did make a puller for the pinion bearings, and a handy bar with a plate drilled for the yoke so I could take the pinion nut off. For what is is worth I used my big truck cross lug wrench for the pinion nut with this and had a no sweat operation. Forget the the crush sleeve and get a spacer and shims. Saves a lot of time and makes a nice install.

.....THANKS Everyone, I'll get back to it tomorrow & let ya all know what happens. It is a spool so once I get one side out I'll be home free..... Bill

Originally Posted by bentwings

The jack bolt is a good idea and works well . It's possible to bend the housing ears however if the axel is really stubborn.

You cannot use a pipe or a bar thru the housing for the second axel however as the spider pin in the diff runs across the axel hole. I just set up one for my street rod. With a spool you could.

.

I momentarily lost my mind and stand corrected with pipe - though you can use something like a piece of ~1/2" round bar stock as I had done that once with a '57 axle shaft broken between the bearing and axle flange.

.....woops, thanks for correcting that. I can see myself already out there beating on things .... that is, beating on things that have NO WAY of moving Bill

Originally Posted by 3rcfreak

i just put the drum backwards on the end of the axle, put on 3 nuts and use the drum as a slide hammer......

.....THANKS Everyone, I did it this way & it worked GREAT .... Bill

Originally Posted by DennyW

Here ya go. Detailed desassembly.

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/ford9inch.php

....THANKS Everyone, I looked at the COLOR pictures & did it this way & it worked great! Bill