Rear Axle Housing woes
 

Some time ago I posted about a leaking rear axle. When taking it apart, I realised that the Rear Axle Housing Cap and felt washer was wafer thin and needed replacing. Parts finally arrived. Question- is there a trick (apart from a piece of timber and a heavy hammer) to properly seat the Cap to the required depth to allow the brake drum and wheel hub to seat properly? Second question - and a tad embarrassing - when disassembling I forgot to note the positioning of the key. Where does the tapered section go? Seems that there are four possibilities.

Appreciate any advise that can be provided.

Cheers
John

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

If you got the new caps they only fit the newer rearends. What year are you working on?
I put the taper down to the inside.
Correction 1915 rear ends would use the smaller ID cap. As Steve said, replacement caps will need to be shimmed. Or you could do an old time fix, cut 4 - 6 slots maybe 1/2 way down the side and use a hose clamp to hold it in place.

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

1915 - So I may have a problem!

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

When I removed the rear wheels on my 13, the brake shoes were missing and one axel was shaft was shimmed.
I install rebuilt , lined brake shoes . The wheels are hitting the shoes . That may be why the shoes were removed in the first place .
What is going on ?

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

The bolt that holds the shoes has a thin head, if it is too thick it can rub, check that first. The head on it too can be ground down, it does not have to be real thick it's just a support bolt and the head keeps the shoes from moving out.

Could be you have a set of the repo shoes from a few years back. They were too wide. You might have to grind some off the edge. I would install with the shim. Take a felt pen and color the edge, reinstall the wheel. Turn it and see if rubbing and where.

When you install the springs make sure they are on the back side not front.


Also check the nuts and bolts holding the wheel together, if the bolts are too long or nuts too thick they can rub. The bolts threads should end at just the top of the nuts and the nuts are thinner and larger in diameter then a normal nut.

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

With worn hub taper or worn axle taper, the hub can go too deep onto the axle, with issue of the inside of the brake drum or hub nuts that hold the brake drum to the wheel impinging on the brake shoes.


Proper fitting of wheel hub/drum should allow a slight gap between the drum and backing plate.


The felt in the outer cap shouldn't be fitted dry and thick as new, compress it some by rubbing in a little grease, that will let it seal better and allow the cap to go fully down, as long as the cap is correct for the axle year.


Axle key should fit with taper end into the taper section of the keyway nearest the axle. Square end engaging the hub keyway. If you stake the key a tad into the keyway, it will stay put. The key must fit snug. Look for wallowed out keyway if not.

Re: Rear Axle Housing woes
 

Have you considered installing modern neoprene seals? Both inners and outers are available. The modern outers come in two varieties, 1909-17, 1918-27 - 1909-17 axle tubes measured 2.380/2.390", 18-27 tubes measured 2.430/2.440"