Tapered Axle

[Frank Ziebert]

1970 J2500
Removed the axle and it took everything my 20 press could deliver to get the hub off the tapered rear axle. When it (both axles) finally broke loose it was like an explosion. I broke one arm of the puller I was using. I had the axle in a vise and applied torque with an impact wrench until it would not move. Sprayed the crap out of it with PB Blaster over the course of three days. Each morning I would hit it with the impact wrench. Even tried slightly heating the hub to about 300 degrees. One morning the contraption exploded when the arm broke. New hub puller ordered and enroute

Replaced all the seals, bearings etc and rebuilt the brakes. The problem now is trying to get the hubs back on. I greased the inside of the hubs and the axle, placed the hub on the shaft, set the key to align the hub then removed the key. When I started to tighten the nut to push the hub on the nut stripped out. Moving to the other side I stopped before the nut stripped but it was on its way.

Questions: 1. Any suggestion on how to get these things on. 2. Where do I source new nuts?

[44BZ]

Did you over tighten them? I've had mine off a few times and never had any trouble getting them back on. They are a pressed fit. The appropriate tool to remove them is a puller like this: https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Universal...b+puller&psc=1

[hagar]

The axle nut would be the same as used on early CJ's with tapered axles.
Jeep P/N 636344.

[KaiserMan]

I wouldn't remove the key before tightening them up. A slight movement and you'll be pulling it back off to realign things.

Sounds like a bad nut.

I've have the hubs off my Dana 53 several times now and had no issue with them. I'd get some new nuts and try again. Might want to clean the thread up on the axle. The nuts should go on easily until they contact the hub.

[440sixpack]

I'm not familiar with what your year of pickup used for axles, is it the Dana 20? hopefully not ,they're junk.


You're supposed to use a new nut and hub each time it's taken apart. but I don't know where you can find parts as far as I know nobody reproduces them. it's a common problem on the AMC cars..

[44BZ]

I'm not familiar with what your year of pickup used for axles, is it the Dana 20? hopefully not ,they're junk.


You're supposed to use a new nut and hub each time it's taken apart. but I don't know where you can find parts as far as I know nobody reproduces them. it's a common problem on the AMC cars..

None of this is accurate as far as I know. The rear axle in J2500 is going to be a Dana 44. The Dana 20 is a transfer case. The nut holding the hub on is a large castle type. The hub and nut are definitely reused when servicing the brakes, bearings, etc.

With the tapered shafts, the hub and shaft are two separate parts. The shaft is held into the axle tube by the wheel bearing and the wheel hub is held onto the shaft by the large castle nut on the end.

[mokurt]

Since the hub and axle are tapered,it should not take much pressure to seat the hub.The hub is not going to travel far.
Just torque the nut to spec.

4 Wheel Drive Hardware is one place you could get a nut.

[Frank Ziebert]

Since the hub and axle are tapered,it should not take much pressure to seat the hub.The hub is not going to travel far.
Just torque the nut to spec.

4 Wheel Drive Hardware is one place you could get a nut.

It's the D44. FSM says to NEVER-emphasized in the manual - install the hub with the key in place. I just put it on enough to insure hub alignment then pulled it out.

The threads in the axle are ok. However if I I had a 1 inch by 14 count die I would certainly chase them.

I found the nuts at Rock Auto however they are about $6.00 each and only sold in a pack of 10. I'll give Woodys 4x4 in Vancouver, WA a call. They have been extremely helpful with other small stuff.

The torque on the nut is "at least 150 pounds" according to the FSM. I was no where near that force when the nut threads failed. Maybe just rusted enough to weaken the threads?

New hub puller gets here middle of the week. I'll pull both hubs off and emery cloth the inside of the hubs and the axle taper then try again.

Thank you. I appreciate the brain storming!!

BTW I have done several body off frame restorations on YJs, an LJ, 51 Willys pick up and various other breeds of pick up trucks. So while I have never done a J2500 before I have a wee bit of experience.

[440sixpack]

I meant the AMC 20 but I said Dana 20. my bad.

When did Dana 44's have a removable hub? I know mine are flanged. if you could toss the hub and put flanged axles in that's what I'd do. not sure if that's an option.

[mokurt]

I
When did Dana 44's have a removable hub? I know mine are flanged. if you could toss the hub and put flanged axles in that's what I'd do. not sure if that's an option.

The older models.

[tgreese]

I meant the AMC 20 but I said Dana 20. my bad.

When did Dana 44's have a removable hub? I know mine are flanged. if you could toss the hub and put flanged axles in that's what I'd do. not sure if that's an option.

First, the AMC Corporate 20 in a Wagoneer or Cherokee (M23) is different from the CJ AMC 20 (M20). The M20 has a reputation as "junk" - the M23 does not. Different. The M23 has one-piece axle shafts (welded on the back side) and thicker tubes. Comparable to the flanged Dana 44 in the Wagoneer.

Wagoneer Dana 44s switched from tapered to flanged in 1968ish era. The tapered axle has 19 splines and is weaker than the 30 spline flanged axles. However, the tapered axles came with a PowerLock, if so equipped. Flanged axles came with the weaker TracLock.

The axle shafts are not interchangeable that way. The spline count is different, and the housing end and bearing is different.

[Frank Ziebert]

[QUOTE=440sixpack. if you could toss the hub and put flanged axles in that's what I'd do. not sure if that's an option.[/QUOTE]

Man I wish. The future calls for replacing both front and rear with probably Chevy axles but that is after I get the truck back to 1. Original and 2. Driveable.

[mokurt]

The axles become junk when you take them out of the conditions they were designed for.
The AMC Model 20 on my CJ became junk when I started more difficult wheeling even after changing out the shafts.
The weak tubes just could not handle rock crawling and
I'm sure a locker did not help.











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[FSJunkie]

I've had the best luck by installing the hub puller as tight as I reasonably can without bending things, then torching around the hub to expand it, and finally hitting the hub with a large hammer to break the taper loose. I leave the nut on the end of the axle to protect the axle threads from the puller and also to catch the hub when it releases.

They make a nice pop when they break loose. Stupid design. Pain in the rear. Flanged axles are way easier.

[Frank Ziebert]

I've had the best luck by installing the hub puller as tight as I reasonably can without bending things, then torching around the hub to expand it, and finally hitting the hub with a large hammer to break the taper loose. I leave the nut on the end of the axle to protect the axle threads from the puller and also to catch the hub when it releases.

They make a nice pop when they break loose. Stupid design. Pain in the rear. Flanged axles are way easier.

I tried the heat thing several times along with the PB Blaster, smacking the crap out of it with a BFH, and constant pressure over the course of several days. That is why/how I ended up using my press to push the POS axle out of the hubs.

I agree it is reall a stupid design.