ClassicCar

56starfire

I was trying to pull the rear axle bearings on my 49, I removed 4 bolts that hold the backing plate to the rear axle housing and it looks like there is 2 rivets also holding the plate to the housing. Do these rivets have to be removed and if so will I have to replace them with bolts and nuts like the backing plate bolts? Thanks in advance
Mike

Jon B

I'm a bit confused. You want to change the axle bearing? Aren't you supposed to pull the brake drum, then unbolt the bearing retainer (once the drum is removed)? Then, the rear axle and its bearing can be pulled right out. I'm not sure why you're trying to take the backing plate off the housing....

The shop manual is available on-line at http://hetclub.org/burr/manuals/1948-1949_shop_service_manual.pdf (I assume you're registered at the H-E-T website, so you have the ability to access this). The information you need is in section 13-7, or scroll through the on-line book to page 253.

56starfire

I did remove the brake drum and unbolted the bearing retainer, I did not realize the axle and bearing would pull right out without some kind of puller, I wanted to pull the backing plate to clean and blast it and paint before I reassemble it.
Thanks
Mike

Richie

After the axle is out, just tap the backing plate off from behind it. Those rivets are actually dowels I believe. You need to take the emergency brake cable lose from the backing plate and the brake line. If I'm wrong someone will correct me. Richie.

Uncle Josh

Sometimes you need some kind of pursuader to pull those bearings. I use an old flywheel on the end of the axle and screw the nut on a few threads. Acts like a hammer. Most any piece of metal would work if it weighed a few pounds.

walts garage-53

Up to 1947 and 48 to first series 1952 are Hudson rears and the backing plate comes off. Second series 52 to 54 are Dana rears and the backing plates are part of the rear, do not try to remove them as they are riveted on. Walt.

Ken U-Tx

Walt said; " Second series 52 to 54 are Dana rears and the backing plates are part of the rear, do not try to remove them as they are riveted on. Walt. "
Well, bowl me over.......I have removed the backing plates from several Dana Spicer rears and never saw them riveted on........ Am I missing something here?

Ken U-Tx

On the 52-54 Hudsons with Dana/ Spicer axles, you have to remove the backing plate to get the axle shaft and bearing out. The stamped metal piece (silver in picture) is just the seal housing. Behind the backing plate (usually the right side only) you will find several thin metal shims. These shims are for setting the axle shaft end play. In the 4th picture, you see I bolted up the backing plate , but without the seal housing. I did that to check the axle shaft end play with a test indicator. The endplay should be at least 0.001" but not more than 0.004" on the Dana/ Spicer. For me 0.002-0.003" was the happy medium. This was checked AFTER cleaning and repacking with fresh grease. You adjust the end play on the RIGHT SIDE ONLY! This applies to the Dana /Spicer axle only, NOT the pre-1952 Hudson built axles.

Ken U-Tx

I used a rental modern slide hammer axle puller fro O'reilly's and used a modified lawn mower blade attachment to pull the axles shafts at the axle nut. I put the middle hole of the mower balde over the axle stub, bout the nut on and then holding the puller assembly tight against the axle nut, gave the slide hammer some pulls till the outer race (which is pressed into the bore of the axle tube flange) pops out. Then you can slide the axle shaft out, taking care not to let the splined inner end damage the inner oil seal.

nick s

I'll agree with Ken that Walts info is not entirely accurate. I too have removed the backing plates for bearing sevice on a Spicer unit. Also I cut the rivets in an effort to salvage an axle and tapered bore bearing from what remained of a 48-early 52 rearend. by remains it consisted of the axle, backing plate and two to three inches of the housing tube. I needed the plate removed to split the two inches of housing to free the cup which was seized into the housing. I do recommend that if you aren't sure the bearings have been pulled or replaced since leaving the factory, you do so and flush out the long solidified grease thickeners from the bearings.

walts garage-53

Sorry, Ken is correct, it's been 22 years since I overhauled my Hudson rear and just forgot. Thanks Ken for straightening me out. Walt.

Kdancy

Studebaker used the Dana 44 rear end as well. Just wondering if the tapered axles have posed the same problem (breaking) as they have in Studebakers?
The Stude guys came up with a flanged axle replacement for the 44 used in Studebakers.

Ken U-Tx

Kdancy, the axles have broken on the Hornets that were raced, both on the oval tracks and drag strips, but this was tremendous abuse. They seldom break in a sensibly driven Hudson on the street / highway. They also do not necessarily always break at the tapered end. They can break inside the axle housing simply from being twisted more than 1-1/2 turns from abuse, or from a Hydramatic that was shifting too harshly. Hudson came out with a thicker "severe usage" axle shaft for the Hornets after reports of axle shaft failures on the AAA and NASCAR circuits I think around late 52 or early 53.

RL Chilton

Ken-
Do you have the severe usage axle shafts installed in your coupe? Also, do you know what the difference in diameters was from the stock ones to the severe usage shafts?

56starfire

I'm still unsure if I should grind off the rivets or not, this might not be the original rear axle to the car, I bought it at an estate sale and the owner had pasted away, the original engine had been replaced with a 308 out of a 51-52.
Thanks
Mike

Ken U-Tx

Post some pix of the axle / backing plate, and I can tell you if it is an original Hudson rear axle
.

Ken U-Tx

Russell, I didn't bother to check my axle-shaft diameters so don't know. I think the severe usage ones were at least 1/4" bigger in diameter, where the regular ones narrow down closer to the splined end. I sure don't want to pull mine out again just to look. Too much work.

56starfire

Thanks Ken, I will be back home in a week and I'll post some pics
Mike

Geoff C., N.Z.

You can easily check if it is the original axle - it will have a removable pumpkin in the center, and a welded cover.

DocHubler

Slide Hammer works great to remove the axle.

56starfire

I know it has a removable pumkin, can't remember if it has a welded cover.
Mike

Tallent R

If its the original axle it will have a serial number on top to match the engine and chassis numbers,
Roger

Clutch guy

The difference in axles are very simple. 6 nuts holding the axle flange in is a dana, 4 nuts = Hudson style with the removable pumpkin. The rivets that are located horizontally DO NOT need to be cut in order to remove the axles. If you cut these off,you will need to make sure that you line them up correctly again before re-assembling the rear drums,otherwise the brake shoes might not line up correctly.

dumbchemist

You can use a slide hammer to remove the axle. You also can use the wheel drum. Attach the wheel drum to the axle end loosely using three of the wheel bolts. Then, use the wheel drum like a slide hammer and the axle should come out. I did this on 36 rear axles as I wanted to replace the inner oil seals and it worked very well.

Clutch guy

Another comment on this thread. If you need to remove the backing plate to gain access to the rear bearings,it is the Dana 44 type. The Hudson style axle allows you to remove the 4 bolt flange,and as described here,pull the axle. I'm not aware of any Dana type that has the rivets in it,securing the backing plate,just 6 nuts and bolts-lefts and rights

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