Easter rear end job

[flat-v8]

Started Saturday tearing apart this rusty rear, got the springs off....Scary! Then opened the old banjo....Rusty! Got a center banjo assembly with 3.78 gears from Montana, out of a '39 low mileage car, real nice! Cleaned up my old axles and assembled in carrier, WTF! Clunk, Clunk, this isn't right, added some thick gear oil to the mix and tightened it up, LOCKED solid! Gave up and got on internet to read an article by Rumble Seat, he said from 1939 up Ford changed to 18 tooth axles & 12 tooth spiders. Haaa Haaaa! No wonder it wont turn, I have 16 tooth axles and 12 tooth spiders in there! So I had to take it apart and use my old 11 tooth spiders, you can't tell without counting teeth! Ended up, after many on & off attempts using .007 & .003 gaskets on both sides to get bearing preload set right, pinion was already set right and locked. Then did the ring gear pattern marking, according to pictures of acceptable pattern marks, mine looks ok! It turns good and smooth, bearings are good, one race in the bell housing was slightly pitted, I smoothed it out with emory wheel, the grease seals appear to be good, I didn't have any new ones anyway, and was never any gear oil in the brakes. Here's some pics!

[Flathead man2]

Looks great as long as you clean everything up real well it'll go together just like that.

[Talkwrench]

I got worried.. Easter rear end job...? Wondered what site I was on ! ;op
Good work mate..

[Zeke...PA]

I would be a little leery of all the work and using old seals and a pitted race. Zeke

[flat-v8]

Originally Posted by Zeke...PA

I would be a little leery of all the work and using old seals and a pitted race. Zeke

Yeah your right, the seals are only about $3.00 each, I'm not in a hurry, I'm ordering new seals today! The race is fine, and I don't have a press. Replacing those seals should be easy, pulling that whole rear out was alot of work, I don't want to do it again.

[JM 35 Sedan]

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The seals are not super easy to replace, but best to do it now rather than having to remove the rear again to do it. Same applies to bearings, easier now than later. There are three lip type seals to replace. One in each axel housing @ drum end and one in front end of torque tube. I made a simple tool from aluminum bar stock with stepped diameters for taking them out and putting the new ones back in place. This aluminum piece attaches to a long shaft. If I can find pictures I will post here later.