flanged axle upgrade for 66 cj5?

I have a d44 19 spline axle in the 66 cj5. is there an axle upgrade to do away with the 2 pc axle?. I am pretty sure the axle nuts on my d44 are rust welded on tight.

 

70 1/2 thru 71 CJ5's had a Dana 44 rear axle with 30 spline 1 piece axleshafts. They are rare, but that is the axle you want if you can find one.

Mike

 

It is not possible to put flanged axles into a tapered axle housing. But you can upgrade to FF axles.

 

Why do you want to do away with the 2 piece axles?
For strength? Flat towing?

 

I guess to be able to work on it easier, unless theres a way to remove the brake drum or replace the outer axle bearings without removing the axle nut.

 

You can convert to full-floating axles and hubs, or try to find one of the scarce '70-71 CJ axles.

Seems like a lot of trouble and expense over an ease-of-maintenance issue. Removing the nut and hub isn't that big a deal if you have the right tools and know what to expect. You should not have to be into the brakes and bearings more than about once every 20,000 miles... that's usually a long time for a hobby car. I would spend $150 (or whatever) and buy the proper big puller. Buy a 3/4" breaker bar and big socket if you need more oomph.

Examples:
http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/Universal-Hub-Puller-P32680.aspx
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200382234_200382234

Not sure which size socket you'll need - but you can likely get the whole Harbor Freight set for the price of a single name-brand 3/4" drive socket.
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-34-in-drive-sae-impact-socket-set-67960-7925.html

"Go big or go home."

 

Before you buy the puller that Tim gave you as example, try to show the hub the video of OTC tools. Im sure it will get loose by itself only from fear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFi3PtBX3O4&feature=youtu.be

 

Re that puller, I changed the link from the HD puller http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/Universal-Hub-Puller-HD-with-Plate-P177757.aspx to the standard puller http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/Universal-Hub-Puller-P32680.aspx

The description of the plate on the HD puller says that it will work on a 4"-5" bolt circle, which is too small for our Jeep hubs, which have a circle of 5 1/2". The description of the regular puller specifically mentions Jeep applications, and suggests that you buy an additional two arms so that you have an arm on each wheel stud. It might be worthwhile to ask OTC about this, considering the cost of the puller.

IIRC long ago JC Whitney sold a puller that looks the same as the OTC puller, and many here got satisfactory performance from it. Regardless, that's the type of puller you need.

 

Your nut could be rusted on but once you get the nut off more than likely the taper on the hub is more likely to be rusted on and a much greater job to remove...............takes an incredible amount of force to then get it off and sometimes heat via a OX/AC torch also needs to be applied. The Posi-Lock puller shown on the left is a 20 ton puller and is the only one I have had success in removing those stubborn hubs. Not any easy job when there frozen........when you do get them apart clean them up and use a then coat of anti-seeze between the two surfaces.
And there is a solution to putting a flanged axle into an early tapered axle housing that I worked out with Dutchman axles a while back..............Nothing is easy on these old Jeeps!

 

I've swapped in a flanged axle before. You will need the following parts:

Complete dana 44 flanged axle assembly from a 70.5-71 CJ

2 inch U bolts - 4 of 'em. Note they are the same U bolts as on 72-75 dana 44 rear axles

rear spring hangers - 2 of 'em. Note that you can use 70.5 - 75 rear spring hangers, and I'd imagine '86 spring hangers (from the CJ7 that had a dana 44 rear)

Remove the old and install the "new to you" parts. You may have some bushing problems with the shocks, but that is pretty much a non-event.

Bear in mind that the "new to you" axle will have 10 inch brakes, and the 66 cj you have may have 9 or 10 inch brakes.

Also bear in mind that the differential gear ratio may be different between the remaining front axle and the "new to you" rear axle, and unless or until those ratios are matched, you do not want to put the jeep in 4wd

I still have the jeep that I did this with, and it functions well.

 

Nice pullers tarry.

They look like they could pull apart kryptonite

 

And there is a solution to putting a flanged axle into an early tapered axle housing that I worked out with Dutchman axles a while back..............Nothing is easy on these old Jeeps!

This is correct. I have an older model Dana44 housing that was given to me a few years ago by a guy who moved on to newer Jeeps. The axle was under his dads flattie and the boys parted his Jeep out when he passed. It has a 19 spline Detroit in it with Summers Brothers 1 piece flanged axles that the old man had made up decades earlier. Seems like the old guys were way ahead of us all.

Mike

 

As to a puller, I just bought a puller from CalVan Tools for $82.00 free shipping.. It is awesome, pulled my hub yesterday. It is just like the OTC universal puller with the stricker (hammer stricker). The claw pullers can bend your hub, I found out the hard way, luckly I have another hub for it.

 

So, not trying to sound argumentative with I guy I know to be knowlegeable but...I wonder about the following statement "........when you do get them apart clean them up and use a then coat of anti-seeze between the two surfaces"

I have been told that these tapered hubs should be re-assembled dry, because you WANT a positive lock on the taper to prevent the hub from working back and forth on the key.

What is the consensus on this, dry or coated with Anti-sieze?

Don

 

Don, let me expand on that...........a thin coat, that's a couple of tenths, to serve as a barrier to not allow rust or them to be frozen together.......the taper with the proper pre-load from the large nut will still do its job with the added help of the key-way.......any time a taper has been allowed to rust and become pitted that interference fit needed to allow the taper to do it's job has been diminished.

 

I coat them with a thin coat of aluminum anti seize.
But that's on a Hurricane CJ and not a Dauntless.
Otherwise sometimes they freeze up together and they can be just too darn hard to break free.
I don't think they can work loose if the key is good and the nut is properly torqued down.

 

There is a company that makes new axle housings to upgrade to onepiece axles, But do to my old age i cant remember the name of the company right now. Also Moser makes a kit for the Studebaker guys to convert the two piece d44 axles to one piece. Bet they could furnish a kit with the correct axle shaft lenghts to fit a jeep.
check them out. I also have been looking to do this.
ohale

 

While I went the full floater route on my cj6, with old Chevy spindles, Ford internal spline hubs and disc brakes, and Moser shafts, in retrospect I would've just cut down a Scout Dana 44 on one side only. Woulda been much cheaper and easier.
Frank

 

I built my own of sorts.. I used Summer Bros. One piece axles and sourced my own bearings and such. Made my own shrink on collars.. I should have documented it all but it was back a ways..