Broke an axle
 

Broke an axle in my 34 yesterday, no pop just all of a sudden the engine speeded up. It's on the drivers side of the Columbia so I hope to pull the right housing, Columbia side instead of pulling the rear end. Anybody got a extra 18 tooth 33/4 axle, I amd in the market for one. Please PM me.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Jim, You'll need to pull the left housing off to remove the axle. You may leave the right-side axle housing intact.
What is the overall length of the axle?

Re: Broke an axle
 

Remove the left housing then remove the bolts holding the ring gear to the Columbia planetary housing then remove the ring gear and the spider gears and cross and the right axle should slide out.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Contact barnfind08 on here to see if he has a replacement.

Re: Broke an axle
 

1933 & 1934 axles usually bring a good price. I had a 33/34 rear end I parted out a few years ago. I wish I had another.

Re: Broke an axle
 

AGAIN, here is complete "barnfind08" information.


Fred Wilner - (barnfind08")
SOUTHSIDE OBSOLETE
7136 200th St E.
Faribault, MN 55021
(507) 332-6789

Direct PM to "barnfind08" BELOW!

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/priva...do=newpm&u=104

Coop

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Re: Broke an axle
 

Thanks all. I have a complete good rear end with axles but hope to locate an axle and not have to strip this one. Not sure of the length at this point.

Re: Broke an axle
 

I have both axles from a 33-34. Both used. I haven't looked at them in a very long time. If interested, let me know, and I'll look-see if I think they are any good.

Re: Broke an axle
 

I meant that I wish I had another to sell.

Re: Broke an axle
 

They are 32.18” long. I had to tear apart 3 rears to find a good pair of axles when rebuilding mine (no Columbia).

Re: Broke an axle
 

It's times like this, you might consider replacing the rear with a more modern axle Ford 8' or spicer/dana 35/44. Not the easy way to go, BUT??
Gramps

Re: Broke an axle
 

I'll say it . . . you'll probably find it is a heck of a lot easier to just remove the whole rear-end - so you can easily work on it, than to try to do all of this under the car. I used to do all sorts of crap on the cement floor of a garage . . . I've learned that I'm not 18 anymore and I like to get stuff up where I can work on it!

For rebuilding rears, I made a plate that mounts to my engine stand - this makes it a whole lot easier!

Attachment 514801

Attachment 514802

Re: Broke an axle
 

Jim, if you don't already have brake drum safety devices installed, you should put them on when you rebuild the rear.

When you break an axle, the drum can easily come off and catastrophic things happen when this occurs.

I know it is a rare deal, but can you imagine if you were going around a corner when an axle breaks and the whole wheel/drum comes off. Bad JuJu!

Re: Broke an axle
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...2&d=1682260708

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1682260708

Re: Broke an axle
 

Progress report. Removed the old axle, really was quite easy. Car is up on four stands, put a stand under the center housing, used my small porta power to push the spring, removed the shock connection and radius arm, housing and then the axle. I will make up some 3/8 guide studs to make it easier to install the ring gear and housing. Pete, love that rear end stand. I am going to build one using the end from a old torque tube.

Re: Broke an axle
 

ever wounder why the axle broke. the cause may bey the axle race on the housing is worn. & the drum race is worn plus the bearing. this causes the axle to ride off center flexing just a few thousands every revereloution thus causing fetige. mike the housing race & the hub race . the housing is over 90 years old & seen plenty of mileage

Re: Broke an axle
 

NOT tightening that big ol' hub retention nut down near the 205 ft. lbs. when reassembling these rear drums is cause for a lot of cracks. That hub is wobbling on that tapered axle IF you haven't tightened it near spec. NOBODY is doing themselves a favor by making it easier to get that drum off the next time. That taper MUST be TIGHT, clean and dry to function properly!

Coop

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Re: Broke an axle
 

Hey Jim, the stand was something I did - Pete helps out with photos one can actually see!

On thing on the Torque Tube approach is that you can't easily get to the pinion to set backlash, thrust and overall pinion and differential "drag". I needed to fit my wrenches in there as well as my inch/lbs torque wrench. That is why I made mine sit up above the engine rotation point - for easy access.

Re: Broke an axle
 

What I do is torque down to a lower number - say 150, drive it a bit, retorque again to 200, drive it a bit and then retorque it again. When I say "a bit" I'm talking just a few miles.

I will say, every time I take my big ole' torque wrench and go to 205, I'm gritting my teeth, making funny faces and praying to God to "just let me torque this one more time . . . please".

It is kind of a "sphincter snapper" to put that much torque on the axle thread. Many bad thoughts go through my mind - many! :eek::eek:

Re: Broke an axle
 

Broke axle had a crack half way thru, just was not caught when the C was built. I have stripped the extra rear end and got a good axle to go back in tomorrow.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Was the crack out in the taper section? You should post a pic or two. ;)

Re: Broke an axle
 

Dale ..... I think you have a good, well-thought-out and reasonable process going there. I like sneaking-up on settings and adjustments. I understand the "just one more time ... please" philosophy. Still, every time one of our members talks about "HOW EASY" his hubs came off, I shudder to think about the condition of his axles. EVERYONE needs to take a few moments to try to understand the physics of how a 'tapered-fit' actually works. That tapered fit is what is meant to drive your Ford down the road. It surely ain't that key and keyway.

Coop

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Re: Broke an axle
 

I used to have ANY used axle mag tested. The spares I have now are NOS.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Lucky bugger! LOL

I wish I had a couple spare Late 32 - 34 axles! Anybody have any good spares?

Re: Broke an axle
 

how come early plymouth dodge axle don,t brake . there tapered. but the bearing is mounted on the axle before the taper the axle runs true. i don,t care if you have king knog tighen the nut if the housing is worn it will brake again

Re: Broke an axle
 

That is a good point - if there is slop on the outer bearing surface, then the hub is moving around and not running true. Then as you hit bumps, load/unload it, go around corners, etc.. - there is stress put on the axle itself.

I'd never thought about that - key point!

Re: Broke an axle
 

do you think ford would have spent the cost to have key ways cut in over 40.000.000 axles & drums. if they were not needed. model t to 1948. if ford could save a dime he would do it. plus the price of the key thats four fey ways & two keys for every car he made. proubly over 40.000.000

Re: Broke an axle
 

Finished, oiled up, ran, set went back and put another couple of pumps in. Will try to post the broke axle ends tomorrow after I clean the mess up and sort tools.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Here is the axle

Re: Broke an axle
 

A keyway break, the most common by far.
Jim, please show us the taper.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Alan ..... I believe you're seeing the tapered piece on the left, with the crack just outside the inner end of the keyway. Look closely and you can make-out the keyway in each piece. Right piece is full size axle with inner end of keyway obvious at top.

Coop


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1682540575

Re: Broke an axle
 

Coop, I see the keyway. I asked to see the taper. Can you see the taper? I think not.

Re: Broke an axle
 

The keyway looks pretty well wallowed out, evidence that the hub, due to insufficient torque, has been getting driven via the key, with subsequent wear to both key and keyways.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Yeah, I would suspect that the hub was nowhere near tight enough on the taper and/or it had poor fitment on the tapered surfaces.

As Brian noted, this causes the key to drive the hub and not the taper surface - which can cause a break just like this. Also, looks like it was cracked for a while before it finally snapped.

Torque those hubs boys - to 205 lbs . . . and if you need a bigger Torque wrench, go buy one! :D (that cheap bend-beam bar torque wrench that most of us "grew up with" won't cut it!)

Re: Broke an axle
 

No, I can't see the TAPER on the tapered piece itself, but that is the tapered piece of the axle on the left in picture. It obviously broke about 1/2" or so outboard of the inner end of the keyway. Clear as mud here in Texas. I take it that you'd like to see a side shot of the tapered piece, yeah?

Coop

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Re: Broke an axle
 

Axle was tight in the hub when I pulled the wheel and hub off the rear end. Keyway may have been worn but I had to drive the stub out with a knocker nut and 8 lb sledge hammer. Here are the pics.

Re: Broke an axle
 

Re: Broke an axle
 

The discoloration (rusty looking) at break looks like a flaw.

Re: Broke an axle
 

@Tony, NY
The discoloration is typical of an old crack, just now giving way with the fresh area cracking all the way. As pointed out previously, the keyway being mangled is evidence that the key itself was the driving force, exerting tremendous stress at the inner end of the keyway. The very rough condition of the taper further confirms the cause of failure.

Re: Broke an axle
 

This is the typical breaking point on most every early Ford axle that I've seen broken in the years I've been playing with these old Fords. I also have some axles that I removed from rears I bought to salvage parts from that have visible cracks just starting at that same point of failure. I have to agree with the folks here who are saying most of these axle failures are a direct result of not having the axle nut torqued to the correct specification.