Sandblasting questions

I'm getting ready to have the frame and some other things sandblasted and painted. I want to have the axles done at the same time. My plan is this;

1st empty old oil
2nd sandblast and paint axles.
3rd replace gear oil and seals.

Should I do it this way? Or should I replace the seals then have it painted.

I also want to have the driveshafts done. Will it damage the U-joints if I leave them in?

And does anyone know where I can get a tranmission crossmember for a '61 CJ6 or a CJ5 (should be the samething). I've looked all over and can't find any.

Thanks,

 

Here's a few pic's. I took them with my phone, so they are a bit fuzzy

 

Hey, looks like my Jeep!
Anyway, for the frame and all, sandblasting is a nice touch. I may not have you answer, but don't leave your U-Joints in, they will get damaged. I just spent 3 hours one Saturday wire wheeling every inch of my frame, and it's clean now, and I plan to POR it, IMO it's a nice alternative. My axles will get dirty again, so I'm leaving them alone.

 

I have learned that for me it is best to clean everything very well prior to sand blasting. The blasting media will get into everything. There is no way to keep it out that I have found. If there is any grease or oil it will stick to it. I would send my parts out disassembled as far as possible and as clean as possible. Then be prepared to do a lot of cleaning after to get the media back out of everything.

 

Take your dissasembled axles to a machine shop and have them hot tank them, the same way they do nasty greasy engine blocks. It will eliminate the chance of sand and other grit getting down in any oiling passages or hidden spots that are hard to clean out.

 

I took every bolted on component off my frame and had it blasted, then POR15, then Tie-Coat primer (same company as POR15), then the topcoat (also from POR15 company). I installed sacrificial bolts into threaded holes in frame so threads wouldn't get hogged out by aggressive blasting.

For front axle I removed knuckles, axles, and carriers. Degreased the heck out of it with Gunk and cleaned with wire cup. Degreased innards, too. Hosed out inside to get rid of all grime. Wash with hot water and Simple Green, rinse, treat with Metal Ready. POR15 outside, still need to POR15 insides of tubes. For the knuckles I removed ball joints (joints were dry and stiff so needed replaced anyhow), blasted, masked off ball joint holes and spindle holes, POR15. Blasted axle shafts with the old u-joints and will soon remove joints, POR15 (up to the seal running surfaces), and replace joints.

Seems to me once you pull axle shafts it's probably a good idea to tear down the entire axle assembly so you can hose the sand and silt out of the axle tubes. Otherwise you have to ramrod the axles through the debris and straight into your carrier. I don't know how to keep from contaminating differential without cleaning tubes.

 

I didn't think about that. I'l have to look into it.

Thanks

 

I would think you would be able to duct tape the areas on the axle that you dont want the sand to get to. Unless, whoever is sandblasting it has a very high pressure blaster that'll just blow everything away. Even after hot tanking I'd tape off the axle ends and maybe even put the differental cover back on before sandblasting.

 

My experience is that blast media will get into EVERYTHING. I would seperate everything out so it can be cleaned seperately.
Tommy