Askig for help with Mercury rear end ID

WABOOM

WABOOM

Senior Member
I have a noise coming from the rear end in my '51. There was some play in drivers side (skake play) so I replaced the wheel bearing and seal. That reduced the noise. But I still have noise. It's a rolling/clunking sound at low speed, that becomes a faint whirring/ ticking sound at higher speeds (30-60 mph). Not a howl. Car is '51 with Merc- O-matic. Rearend is a Dana 44 with 3.31. I'm thinking maybe this rear is from a later model or possibly a truck.
I had a hard time getting the correct parts for axle bearing job. The part #'s were not what was listed from every source. C&G, Napa, Van Pelts etc.

Bearing is 88128-2RS
Retaining ring is R88128
Axle seal is 15124
Plate gasket is 10720

So here's where I am with this. I need to replace the diff carrier bearings and the pinion bearing and seal. I've never done it but I can. I don't want to tear this down without knowing for sure I can have correct parts for the job. I want his to be fixed by June 21st for Back To The Fifties. At this point I would willing to swap out the whole rearend if I found one.

It has 11" ID drums. 19 spline axes. 5x 5.5 bolt pattern. Here's pics of everything.

Thanks in advance
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It certainly looks like a 51 Dana 44. Mine are 3.91:1 with overdrive but that's the only difference I see. My guess is that something has lost preload or is just generally loose. Pinion should have no shake side to side and no end play. The carrier bearings should also have no shake or end play. The side gears can get loose in the housing and the spider gears can get loose on their little shaft. U-joints can sometimes start to make noise when they go bad but it's usually just a general rotation play that causes a clunk when you shift to drive.

Somewhere in the 52 or 53 time frame, they changed the pinion shaft seal and components that work with it. I think you can use either type in sets but you can still find the older type as long as you have the part numbers. Yours may have already been changed too but I'll have to look at my books again to see which set you have there.
 
When I had the cover off last summer the side gears definitely had some play at the axle shaft. I started a thread about it a year ago.
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I just can't decide if I should take it al apart not knowing if I can get the parts in time. We put 400 miles on it since last June and it hasn't gotten any worse, but it bothers me.
 
If Back to the 50's is being held in St. Paul, you don't have far to go. I say drive it there and back as is.
 
Barnfind08 may have some OEM parts for these if there is any part that is worrisom. 1950 thru 52 F1 pickups, Ford station wagons, and police cars also used these axles with some differences in mount pads. F100 trucks changed axles somewhere in the mid 50s to the different spline count. Randy's Worldwide carries some parts for 19-spline Dana 44 axles. Rubber parts like seals would be better if bought new due to deterioration concerns.
 
Ol' Ron said:
I have a Spicer 41 from a Merc with auto. gear ratio is 3.3, new drums and brakes 250 in VT
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If I was closer I'd be all over it. We took my car on a 60 mile drive tonight and the noise is bothering me. I'm taking the diff out this weekend to see if it's the inboard bearings.
 
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