8 3/4 rear end axle shaft removal

[madmike]

I'm a newbie to the Charger scene, but mechanically inclined, and I'm not afraid to work on my own stuff.  I recently purchased a '68 Charger with an 8 3/4 rear axle.  I'd like to pull the axle shafts out, put new seals in, and inspect the axle bearings and shaft surfaces.  I was looking at a factory service manual (FSM), and the procedure seemed fairly involved, with special tools and everything.  Most of my past vehicles have been GM's, so I am more familiar with them.  Also, with the 8 3/4 housing being one piece (I mean no removable rear end cover), it just looks different than what I'm used to.

When doing this kind of work, have you guys come up with short cuts, that don't require the use of special tools?  If not, where can I get some of the special tools mentioned in the FSM?  Also, I've read on-line a bit about the 'green' bearings, are they a replacement for stock wheel bearing set-ups or something?  Is a stock wheel bearing set up bad?

The car will be used as a daily driver, so reliability is important.  After she's on the road, I'd like to swap in a fully built big block (it is a mild 440 now) or Hemi, so that I can bake the back tires at will...  thanks for any input.

[terrible one]

The axle shaft will slide right out after unbolting the 4 or 5 bolts holding the retainer plate to the housing. The seal inside the housing can be replaced without any special tools . . . pry the old ones out and hammer the new ones in with a socket about the same size. Take note of how far in the housing they are though and remember to press the new ones in that far. They are pretty deep. The outer seals are a whole different story. They sit in the retainer plate so the bearings have to be pressed off of the axle to change them out.

[johnbrnrd]

I'm a newbie to the Charger scene, but mechanically inclined, and I'm not afraid to work on my own stuff.  I recently purchased a '68 Charger with an 8 3/4 rear axle.  I'd like to pull the axle shaft out, put new seals in, and inspect the axle bearings and shaft surfaces.  I was looking at a factory service manual (FSM), and the procedure seemed fairly involved, with special tools and everything.  Most of my past vehicles have been GM's, so I am more familiar with them.  Also, with the 8 3/4 housing being one piece (I mean no removable rear end cover), it just looks different than what I'm used to.

When doing this kind of work, have you guys come up with short cuts, that don't require the use of special tools?  If not, where can I get some of the special tools mentioned in the FSM?  Also, I've read on-line a bit about the 'green' bearings, are they a replacement for stock wheel bearing set-ups or something?  Is a stock wheel bearing set up bad?

The car will be used as a daily driver, so reliability is important.  After she's on the road, I'd like to swap in a fully built big block (it is a mild 440 now) or Hemi, so that I can bake the back tires at will...  thanks for any input.

really there are no special tools in the removal of the axle shaft? anyway thanks for providing the procedure on how to unbolt the shaft. I also am curious about the outside retainer plate thou.

[flyinlow]

The passenger side retainer has the end play adjuster and lock. don't lose the lock clip. The axles have some end play when assembled, get a feel for it before you unbolt the axles. If you reuse the bearings, which is fine if they are in good shape , and you don't turn the adjuster nut,they should go right back in. There is a setting if you have a dial indicator. About .010 if I remember. The inner seals do most of the work to keep the lube in the diff. The tapered roller axle bearing are lubed by grease like the front wheel bearings. Pack what you can in them.

The alternative is the permenently lubed " Green bearings "  I have them on my car, because I have rear disks. They work fine. I go around corners ,drive down the freeway to other states and back, drive in the rain  and don't even think  about them.