Stub axle questions

chris snell

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
I have an old-style (front) stub axle that I think is FRC4320. It has a bronze bushing in it and behind that, there’s supposed to be an oil seal. Pulled my front end apart for something else and noticed mine have no oil seals, so I need to install them. I‘m struggling getting the bronze bushing out. Apparently, there is a LR tool, TRT-37-004, that you use with a special slide hammer to remove this bushing, but I don’t have it. Looking online, it’s close to $350 for the jaw piece alone, and another $130 for the slide hammer. That’s a lot of money for something I may never use again. Is there any easier way to get the bushing out without destroying it?

Maybe I should just buy a new set of stub axles, bushes, and seals. Are Britpart OEM stubs okay?

IMG_7307.jpeg
 
javelinadave

javelinadave

Administrator
Staff member
I would think a machine shop could remove them by heating the steel and quenching the brass but that is just a guess. Certainly free to ask if they can.
 
expanse

expanse

Well-known member
here's my magic. I have a cheap 2 arm puller and stuff a M8 nut in front of the adjuster screw so it will spread the two jaws out a great deal more then designed. plenty to get a bite on this bush. use a file to tidy up any digs into the bush from the puller and refit after a new seal. a little heat on the metal lip can help too.

ghetto, but it works.

6138n6Zhb5L._AC_SX679_.jpg
 
erover82

erover82

Well-known member
Britpart OEM stuff is generally pretty good. Having compared them in detail, I'm nearly certain their OEM swivel balls are the exact same as genuine.

Also there are slide hammers sets than come with reversible 3-legged pullers. Would be ideal.
 
Last edited:
chris snell

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
So, I have another stub axle question. As mentioned previously, I have the old-style hubs with the bronze bushings. When I fitted the CVs and halfshafts and then the stub axle, I made sure that the edge of the CV joint was up against the bronze bushing as prescribed in the manual. Then I mounted the stubs. Once I did this, I noticed that the axles/diff pinion were really hard to turn, presumably because of friction between the bronze bushing and steel CV.

I vaguely recall that this is initially a very tight fit with lots of friction but that these components wear in with miles. But...maybe my memory is wrong. Is that how these are supposed to fit, with lots of rotational friction?

(ping @jymmiejamz since I know he's dealt with these old things)
 
erover82

erover82

Well-known member
chris snell said:
So, I have another stub axle question. As mentioned previously, I have the old-style hubs with the bronze bushings. When I fitted the CVs and halfshafts and then the stub axle, I made sure that the edge of the CV joint was up against the bronze bushing as prescribed in the manual. Then I mounted the stubs. Once I did this, I noticed that the axles/diff pinion were really hard to turn, presumably because of friction between the bronze bushing and steel CV.

I vaguely recall that this is initially a very tight fit with lots of friction but that these components wear in with miles. But...maybe my memory is wrong. Is that how these are supposed to fit, with lots of rotational friction?

(ping @jymmiejamz since I know he's dealt with these old things)
Click to expand...

Should be zero friction between bronze bushing and CV because of the end float set with shims (part #19) between the drive flange and outer CV splines.

Front Hubs - To KA930455 - Find Land Rover parts at LR Workshop

View the Land Rover parts diagram for Front Hubs - To KA930455
www.lrworkshop.com www.lrworkshop.com
 
chris snell

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
Also noticed that when I first tightened down the stub axle, the swivels wouldn't rotate to full range, just a portion of it. I pulled off the stubs, rotated the swivels, and put them back on while turned to full lock. Now they swivel freely but pinion and axles still do not want to turn.

I didn't have this problem last time I did this job. Not sure what I've done wrong here.
 
expanse

expanse

Well-known member
big question I'd be asking is what changed? Besides adding that seal and refitting the bronze bush, did anything else get replaced or touched?
 
chris snell

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
expanse said:
big question I'd be asking is what changed? Besides adding that seal and refitting the bronze bush, did anything else get replaced or touched?
Click to expand...

I pulled the axle apart to fix a damaged diff cover. I put in new swivel ball seals (both the ones on the balls themselves and the little axle seals where the swivel balls mate with the axle tubes. New stub axles, new bronze bushings, along with the FRC3099 stub axle seals that go behind the bronze bushings. I did not use a paper gasket between the stubs and the swivel housings, nor did I use one between the swivel balls and axle tube. I used Right Stuff instead of paper gaskets. That's all I have so far.

Here's a snippet from the old WSM on the fitment of the CVs:

IMG_7363.jpg



Here's a photo of the CV body. You can see the shoulder where the CV appears to mate with the bronze bushing. It sure seems like they are supposed to have a friction fit.

1694547491975.png
 
chris snell

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
erover82 said:
Looks correct. You're saying the friction isn't at the faces, but between the inner/outer diameters, like a slight interference fit? Never fitted a new early-type bushing, but my new later ones were a loose fit.
Click to expand...

Exactly, per the WSM, the CV is supposed to sit snugly against the bushing. Seems like it would make a lot of friction heat but... 🤷‍♂️
 
erover82

erover82

Well-known member
Does it say that? This bit you quoted above just appears to just advise checking that the CV is aligned in the bushing before bolting it down, but doesn't really say anything about being a tight fit in the bushing bore. Too tight and I imagine it'd probably gall and blow up. I may have an old-style bushing at home. Could take an ID measure this evening.
 
jymmiejamz

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
chris snell said:
Also noticed that when I first tightened down the stub axle, the swivels wouldn't rotate to full range, just a portion of it. I pulled off the stubs, rotated the swivels, and put them back on while turned to full lock. Now they swivel freely but pinion and axles still do not want to turn.

I didn't have this problem last time I did this job. Not sure what I've done wrong here.
Click to expand...
That’s really common. You had the axle pushed too far into the diff. When this happens, the CV ends up in a bind and prevents you from turning the knuckle. It’s one of those things you don’t realize you did until you go to fill the swivel ball
 
M

Mirrajumper

Well-known member
I tend to overpack my CV’s and like my swivels on the tighter side. As such, I reassembled without the #19 shim at first. Drove around the block a few times and then installed #19 after.
 

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