Tapered axles - POOF

Well, I guess I didn't torque the nut on the hub down hard enough.
I haven't put more than 100 miles on it since I re-did the axle and installed the lock-right no-slip. I'm running 33's, you think that might have helped to destroy this ? NO hard driving on it, some very mild off-road and mostly pavement.

I sure hope the next shaft lasts longer, the new one is torqued to over 150ft/lbs. (150 and then I added a cheater bar and added 1/2 turn )

Anyway, here's the pic's - OUCH !

The hub :



The end of the axle shaft :



Any other tips to preventing this ?

 

did you install the cotter pin after torquing the nut down upon assembly?
it looks like the key sheered, if thats the case, it really wouldn't matter how much you torqued down the nut.

 

Not sure if they make them for the early 44's (I have never looked), but this is why I recommend guy's with Model 20's to replace them with one piece shafts. Success with putting two piece shaft back together is about a 50% chance. I've done replacement seal with even stock tires and had the same results. IMHO if I were you I would start saving for one piece shafts. 33's and a locker is not going to do the 2 piece shafts any good.

 

Yeah, to get them off, I needed a hell of a puller - I'd rather have to use an army to get it off, than have it come off like this and destroy itself -

Now, the key has a tapered end, too... does that go "in" towards the center of the jeep ? the slot tapers up (gets shallow) there, does the taper match this slope when it is assembled ? The diagrams I see do not show this -

Yeah, the cotter pin was still intact when it went poof, the hub just spun on the end of the shaft and disintegrated the key...

Do they make an upgraded axle replacement, or do you just go to Full Floater ?
Thanks !

 

That failure is from incorrect assembly. Broken axles are the problem, not spun hubs.

JB

 

I used the old one - the same one it had when I took it apart. It appeared to be a tight fit. Can someone confirm the proper installation of the key ? The FSM says install the hub, then tap in the key. Which end goes toward differential ? The end with the taper, to match the slope in the groove ?
The key looks like this...(well, sort of)
____________
\___________!

The groove gets shallow towards the differential side, kind of matching the taper on the key. Now I'm wondering whether or not I put the key in properly.

 

It "SEEMED" to all go together properly.( the key seemed to fit both grooves well) I'm thinking I may not have torqued the nut on enough - I "may" have just snugged it down with my impact wrench and neglected to give it the once over with the torque wrench. This time I definitely gave the nut enough torque. I re-torqued the other side too.

 

Oh sure you would have to post your pics just before I pull my hubs to do an 11" brake conversion. Can you say jinx.LOL

Actually I'm glad the key was covered in this thread, I'm gonna be real careful during reassembly. I had that same problem with a '60 Jeep SW witha 302 Ford and 11x15 Armstrong Tru Tracs. Dang did I just tell on myself. You guys remember Tru tracs don't ya?

 

yup, those then Desert Dogs were the off road tire at one time.

 

Like I said my experiance is with the AMC 20's and we all know there crap with 2 peice shafts (they have key's as well I might add). I have very little experiance with the older 44's, so i appoligize for the misinformation.

 

did you put never seeze or any other substance on the taper when you assembled it??

JB

 

No, I didn't put any "no-seize" on, my understanding is the taper and the key are meant to keep the hub from spinning on the end of the axle shaft. My thinking is/was that anti-seize compound might keep the taper from holding the hub as well.

 

that's correct, the ID and OD need to be clean and dry....

JB

 

Tapered axles work on the theory of locking tapers, any shaft with less than 7º is a locking taper, meaning when they are clamped together they will not fall apart when the nut is removed. They should be clean and free of anything when reassembled. They work just like a drill chuck and arbor along with alot of other mechanical assemblies.

 

Well, I'm actually in the process of rebuilding my rear axle, 67 CJ5 Dana 44, off set rear end. To change the brake components, I had to remove the hub/drum because the drums were swaged on to the hub. I removed the drum, and the hub was kept onto the axle by the same key you guys are discussing. I don't remember which way it went in/came out, but I do remember that the nut that is discussed earlier in this thread was not even hand tight. It was kept on the axle with the cotter pin in the end of the axle.

My thoughts:

1. My jeep was put together wrong or the nut worked its way loose, or

2. The nut is not supposed to be torqued onto the axle.

Ideas?

btw, I took my 10 inch drums with the hubs still installed to a parts store to get the drums turned. They informed me that the drum was beyond specs......trotline weights.....in his words. Therefore, I'm having to purchase new hubs and drums from online stores.

Any other suggestions? Sorry for highjacking the thread.

TAZ