Lapping axles-How?

R

RPM

Senior Member
I understand that lapping the rear hub to the axle will make a real good fit, but my question is the exact procedure as I've never done this. Could someone explain? Thanks, RPM
 
With no key in the keyway, put the drum on the axle with a small amount of lapping compound. Install the castle nut lightly to keep the hub in proper contact with the axle to do the job. Turn the drum by hand, turning full revolutions clockwise and counter clockwise. About one beer per wheel should do it. Be sure to fully clean off all the compound before installing the hub.
 

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When a taper fit is approaching Realdamgood, the taper will sort of sieze and grip its matching part with just light installation...you will find just setting drum in place by hand can lead to a struggle to remove it. Thats why the grip on the thing when mashed together by high torque on the nut is so astoundingly tight when you have to pull the drum.
 
ford38v8 said:
With no key in the keyway, put the drum on the axle with a small amount of lapping compound. Install the castle nut lightly to keep the hub in proper contact with the axle to do the job. Turn the drum by hand, turning full revolutions clockwise and counter clockwise. About one beer per wheel should do it. Be sure to fully clean off all the compound before installing the hub.
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Is the beer to clean off the lapping compound!?:D

Nice details. Thank you.:)
 
beer not to clean compound-used for fuel and cooling of operator also increases patience of operator to do a good kob
 
Alright now, just in case there's a debate about this, I'm gonna nip it in the BUD. These are the two products I reccomend to do the job.
 

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Do You Need Lapping?

I spend a lot of extra effort to find the best axles and hubs that seem to be out there. I recognize that moment where the tapers seem to sieze up and it's time to back out and do the cleanup. Rarely would I lap. Just try not to mate some POS axle or hub to a good part and expect the lapping to cure that. Looking at some guys work after they have peeled an axle, seems to indicate that they started with one thing or another being less than perfect. They come over to my house to press out the stub. Then the truth comes out that they backed off of the torque because of failing threads and may have already sheared a key. No mystery why we cripple by when axles come into doubt. It's real work to swap one out and often leads to finding reasons for a more complete job. Good Luck: Fred A
 
Does anyone use antisieze on the tapers? I've learned to use it on other machine applications and on HD transmission input shafts. It lets the tapers slide together tighter without the stick-slip and the silver powder fills in the crannys left by the lapping. It's essential on the HD shafts to keep them from spinning under big load, and allows you to run without the key in place. I'm wondering if I should or should not try it on my Ford axles when I get to that part of the truck.
 
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