Axle housing situation

Great Lakes Greg

Great Lakes Greg

Well-known member
Pictured is my two axle halves with a razor easily inserted between them. The gasket is pretty much in there for the ride, and doing nothing else.
This is rebuilt with perfect lash, and I hate to take it apart.
So, are one or both of these housings warped? I assume it's going to leak like crazy. What is the remedy?
 

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Rebuilt by who ? Was a sealant used along with the gasket ? If you didn't perform the work, the housings each have a "step" that locates each other and although it can be a close tolerance, without a sealer, most of them have a "drip" underneath.
 
If it was like that all the way around it might be a problem but if only at the top, external sealant will hold the oil in.
 
Rebuilt by myself with the guidance of a local guru who has about 50+ years experience. He is still in Florida, so I can't ask him. Bummer we both missed this. I was so geeked that it was finished, that I didn't pay much attention to the gap, and he is 90 and probably couldn't see it. Lesson learned. I found the issue prepping for sandblasting. It is gapped for about three "sections" on the bottom side only. The razor goes in and stops at the step. I am still questioning whether the bells are warped, or could some how not be seated on the steps that stevests mentions. I think the gap is so tiny, that I have to believe they are seated and not bound up, wedged, or whatever. A drip isn't any thing to lose sleep over. Running out like a drinking fountain is. I suppose I can only proceed with blasting and paint and see what happens when it is filled and ready to go. Any other comments?
 
I've rebuilt a considerable number of rear axle assemblies and I have my steel (housings & torque tube) media blasted well in advance of any "rebuilding". Blasting after, can & will contaminate parts you don't want sand, garnet or walnut shell getting on or into. If it was mine, I'd be unbolting the whole shebang and start over using your choice of sealant (#2 Permatex is my choice to place between the housings) and/or gaskets, if they were used as "shims" for clearance or back lash. Only way to know why you have a gap is to closely inspect visually the edges of both halves for burrs, etc. The housings should have been measured using a ruler or caliper with a long straight edge top & bottom to indicate any "bends". Just my 2 cents.
 
I would pull it down and check that one of the thrust washers is not hanging up, off it's pin or that one or more of the tabs were it's bolted together is not bent to the center. If all is good bolt it back together without the gasket and check your drag on the ring gear and how the edges come together. If you have setup any Model A rear ends, I shoot for about the same drag without gasket as the A ring gear. The T housing gasket is about .004 to .005 thick. I would use a little sealer on both sides of the gasket, not glop's of it, just enough to do the job. I use altra-black.

Also it may be the case that an old housing gasket was used and when it was put together just pulled to the inside laving a gap where it was pulled to match the case bolt holes. Because the gaskets are plant fiber they shrink with age.
 
I would take it apart, sandblast the housings, paint them, and then assemble it with RTV on the gasket (I use The Right Stuff). Any sandblasting sand that gets into mechanical stuff can cause expensive damage. I clean, clean, and clean again after sandblasting. In the case of rear axle housings they normally need to be vatted or baked to get the dried crud out from the inside.

Early housings get the rivets sealed over with Mil-8802-B1/2 sealant after vatting.

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I agree that the way to go is disassemble, blast, clean thoroughly, & paint, then reassemble. If you try to blast it as is, you're asking for expensive trouble. If you don't have the MTFCA axle book, get it and follow it. The only way I would differ with the book is to use the Fun Projects pinion bearing instead of the stock one.
 
I disassembled the axle today, and a thrust washer had indeed shifted from its position over the pin. It all went back together nicely with the gap gone. Best of all, it cost me only time.
Your comments have also disuaded me from blasting. I am going to wire brush it and use por 15, then prime and paint. I have done this before with very good results.
 
Greg, I've had good luck using a purple scotch pad on a die grinder for the type of work you're doing. It cleans down to bare metal in short order. PK
 
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