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600

Pulling rear axle shafts from the rear axle ?
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thanks for the pictures and text Jens. This was most helpful. -CTH

Finally got some photos added....

See previous post

Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454
So far so good.

I now have most of the rear axle back together and ready to go back under the car.

I haven’t been able to upload pictures, but will try again and show some of the work. It wasn’t a big problem when I first figured out how to reassemble the parts. A few tools had be be made or bought.

Apart from the differential bearings everything else has been renewed and the rear should be fit for fight with new outer bearings, seals, restored suspension parts, new shocks, rubber, air pipes, valves, complete brake job etc. etc.

A lot of work and pretty expensive with all the parts.

Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454











Talked to Woerle in Germany this morning.

Pulling the axle is no problem.

When reinstalling the RH axle the sliding bushing should be secured with a 7mm pin to prevent the sliding bushing being pushed in.

Axles are now out and tomorrow I will try to remove the hinge-shaft and remover RH axle tube.

Plan is to replace all seals, outer bearings and the big rubber boot.

It’s fairly expensive to replace all the parts and bushings related to the rear axle, but I am sure the rear will be nice and firm afterwards.

Air suspension will be restored at the same time.



Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454
Justin came over yesterday. We looked at the 600 Service Manual. On the two occasions that I recall that the rear axles were out of #178, they were removed by the mechanics at Three Point and Justin just replaced the outer axle bearings, so he has not done this job. Our conclusions are that the 600 has a special locking mechanism for the sliding spline which is not in the W109 etc. It appears that the "catch band position" is the position in which a pin inserted through the hole in the axle tube closed by the screw taper plug [10 in Fig 35-4/3] is aligned with a receptacle in the outer end of the sliding spline. Not knowing exactly what that catch band position is means to me that it would be necessary to unscrew the taper plug and insert the 7mm pin gently and then rotate the axle and lift the axle tube up and down until you can feel the pin locate in the receptacle. Fig 35-4/3 suggests that the pin would locate with the axle horizontal. You could use a 7mm drill bit or a drift as the pin [arbor]. Once the pin is located, it is safe to pull the axle shaft. The manual does not say what keeps the pin in place, stops it falling out, while the axle is pulled. The Manual suggests that pulling the right axle shaft without the locating pin risks damaging the inner lock ring of the sliding spline. If I have the opportunity to talk with Peter, the workshop manager at Three Point in the immediate future, I shall post what he says.
Art
Charlie's note and an e.mail from him has suddenly woken me up to realise that this thread is in the 600 Forum[:I]. Jens' reference to the previous post from me had led me to presume he was talking about a 6.3 as I am not aware of posting about the 600 or had forgotten. Doesn't really change anything I have said except of course, the photo is of a 6.3 diff, not a 600. The sliding spline and lock ring are essentially the same. I now have the text in the 600 Service Manual and the Figures match.
Art
my 600 has been parked for like 10 years because of blown gear in the rear. I had picked up a dodgy spare that needs the same work you describe here. I am considering being brave and pulling apart the bad rear end as practice before doing the replacement. That or I can send the car to Neil and have him do it for more than I paid for the car.

-CTH
PS. Art, do you still have those rebuild tools?
As I read it the sliding bushing needs to be fixed/locked before pulling the right axle.

And leveling is needed to align parts for locking and so on.

I will wait for further information.

Need to pull the whole axle anyway. All bushings are dead after +50 years.

I have a spare axle just in case. And if all goes bad parts will be send to Wörle in Germany. They do excellent and beyond perfect restoration on parts.

Great Forum !!!

Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454
I have had a look at my Service Manuals and it seems that the Fig 35-4/3 and 4/2 which you quote are different from the same Figures in my manuals. The lock ring is spring steel and just squeezes into the groove when pulled out and pushed into the slip joint. I don't know the answer to your second question. The left axle just pushes in and pulls out. Hopefully, someone else will contribute. I shall ask Justin about this in the next couple of days if you can wait.

You can understand that with the hinge for the swinging right axle well below the level of the axle shaft, the higher the outer end of the axle, the further into the slip joint the right axle extends. This is critical when reinstalling the right axle to ensure that the lock ring is engaged at the inner end of the slip joint. Installing the right axle with the axle hanging down prevents this because the lock ring does not go into the slip joint far enough to engage properly. This allows the right axle to move in and out on the outer bearing and will result in failure on driving. The thing I don't know is the relevance of this in removal of the axle.
Art
It was also my thought that the axle should be levelled (both sides) and axles can be removed without taking the axle apart at the inner "hinge"?

And as I read it the taper plug is removed and an abor (pin?)is inserted to fix the slide bushing before pulling the axle. Does the axle need to be turned to a certain position to find a hole for the pin?

What happens to the lock ring when pulling the axle?

Left axle can be pulled after removing all outer seal bolts - correct ?

Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454
Today, I shall have a look at my Service manual and try to correlate what you have stated with the image. At this stage, I shall say that I anticipate that the "catch band position" will be having the axle above horizontal as that is the position that the right rear axle tube should be in when the axle is reinserted to ensure that the lock ring is fully inserted in the sliding spline. You can see in the photo that the lock ring and its groove in the spline is near the inner end of the axle.
Art
I shall try to assist but others will need to contribute as I am NOT a mechanic. The following photo shows the lock ring in the slidebushing of the right rear axle. The left rear axle does not have this groove and lock ring in the sliding spline as the left axle does not "swing" up and down, but is fixed in the differential.



This is the text:

Caution! The right-hand rear axle shaft is provided . with a lock (5) against axial displacement of the slide bushing (Fig. 35-4/3).
For removal the following steps are additionally necessary:
a) Set right-hand axle tube (11) to catch band position.
b) Unscrew taper plug (10).
In this position of the axle tube, the bores are aligned above each other and the slide bushing (7) can now be fixed with an arbor of approx.
7 mm dia. The slide bushing (7) must be fixed so as to prevent any damage to the lock ring (2) in the outer joint yoke during removal of the rear axle shaft (4).
7. Punch rear axle shaft out of the axle tube (Fig. 35-4/2).


What is (a) - catch band position ? Level the axle ?

7 mm arbor ? - must be some kind of pin to lock ?

My English usually covers most technical questions but here I need help.

And I don’t have the matching pages in my German workshop manual.

Did read the very nice post from Art, it doesn’t cover this part I believe.

Any help appreciated. Thanks





Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454
I want to replace rubber boots, bearings and seals on the outer end of the rear axle.

I am a bit unsure about pulling the axles. I have removed all bolts, rotor, and the bolts on the plate holding the outer seal. Haven’t removed the bearing shells yet.

Reading the workshop manual they mention a lock and slidebushing on the right hand axle ???

I read it, but don’t understand it.

Can someone please explain what needs to be done before I install a puller and pull out the axles.



Jens
1964 600 SWB W100/#99 M100/#100
1971 C3 Corvette 454
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