Rear axles

[Crash]

Just getting the shop warmed up.

Is the rear stub axle similar to one for the front? Do they mount the same way? I realize they are two different part numbers but from the manual it looks like they bolt up the same way.

The mystery continues!

C

[jac04]

The both mount in the same basic way - they are bolted in place. IIRC, the rears pilot on the OD of the axle case, while the fronts pilot on the ID of the swivel pin housing. Rears use through bolts with nuts and fronts are bolts threaded into the SPH.

[Crash]

This is beginning to make sense. The rear stub axle has a flange that not only butts up to the axle flange but is "recessed" so that it fits over the OD of the axle flange.

The parts drawings don't really show that. I would have expected that in replacing the distance piece that the stub axle would have come loose!

Both of my sets of rear axles, one really rusted and one very clean looked initially that this was an integral part.

Thanks for helping to solve the mystery.

C

[TJR]

This is beginning to make sense. The rear stub axle has a flange that not only butts up to the axle flange but is "recessed" so that it fits over the OD of the axle flange.

The parts drawings don't really show that. I would have expected that in replacing the distance piece that the stub axle would have come loose!

Both of my sets of rear axles, one really rusted and one very clean looked initially that this was an integral part.

Thanks for helping to solve the mystery.

C

I recently pulled the stub shafts off a rear axle and it went like this. After removing all the bolts, I tried breaking them loose w/a decent size rubber mallet and knocking on the spindle itself. I hit it several times pretty hard an no go. I then switched to using a larger steel hammer and a brass drift against the OD edge and they popped off quite easily.

The other part of your question is correct. They did switch to spindles (stub shafts) that do not have a replaceable distance piece. In my experience on a rear Salisbury, the bearing part numbers changed too. The inner and outer tapered roller bearings became the same size. The Parts books should show that. I believe the wheel actual hubs differed too as the bearing race bores were made the same inner and outer.

I'm not sure if that is what is referred to as a "rationalized" axle.

...Talbot

[jac04]

^^Yes, that change took place with the rationalized axles (October 1980 according to the parts manual I'm looking at.). Same inner & outer bearings, integral oil seal wear sleeve, different oil seals & different hubs.
My Lightweight has rationalized axles and it was a PITA to find some of the parts. Ended up ordering parts from the UK.

[Terrys]

So here's a dumb question. Why was it necessary to make the rear spindles with a female recess, and the front spindles with a male stub, to fit Inside the SBH? I understand the idea of a captured diameter to carry the load, so the bolts are only in tension, but can't see why it was necessary to make two different parts.
I did use a rear stub axle on the front in an emergency (100 miles to get home from VT and only one place near Killington had just a rear tub axle. Good thing they were grade 8 bolts, but I swore it was gonna snap before I got back to CT. It didn't. I recall I couldn't get the axle nut on so just unlocked the hubs

[jac04]

^^Good question. I've also wondered why when the change was made to greased hubs, the front stub axles got oil seals to keep oil out of the hubs but the rears didn't.