Question regarding front axles

[koda2000]

But, did we ever resolve the lack of a support bearing on the passenger side, inside the diff. housing, behind the seal? Seems the axle shaft supported only at it's inside end by the spline itself, would in time "wallow" out the spline due to the weight of the inboard C-V. Did I miss something? imp

apparently there isn't one. doesn't make sense to me either but jremington 59 reported not finding a bearing in his passenger side and no one else responded. there really doesn't appear to be room for one. as long it's not leaking, not making noise and drives okay, i'm happy.

 

[1998Exp]

The FSM (shop manual) shows a bearing at each side of the differential housing. The book does not show what's inside the tube on the passenger side. If anyone has access, it would be interesting to see a real drawing of the entire front axle assembly, not just the illustrations for assembly/disassembly instructions.

apparently there isn't one. doesn't make sense to me either but jremington 59 reported not finding a bearing in his passenger side and no one else responded. there really doesn't appear to be room for one. as long it's not leaking, not making noise and drives okay, i'm happy.

 

[koda2000]

The FSM (shop manual) shows a bearing at each side of the differential housing. The book does not show what's inside the tube on the passenger side. If anyone has access, it would be interesting to see a real drawing of the entire front axle assembly, not just the illustrations for assembly/disassembly instructions.

as i stated in an earlier post, AZ's computer listed a bearing for the passenger side, but the bearing didn't fit the axle or the tube (of course their computer also lists the wrong part number for the passenger side seal, so...).

i would think that if there's supposed to be a bearing and it was missing, you'd have all kinds of problems with noises and seal leaks, but we've driven this truck over 8,000 miles since buying it with no problems and it just started leaking out of both the driver and passenger side seals. from what i saw when removing the old passenger side seal, i don't believe anyone else had ever been in there before me.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Kind of strange to just start leaking on both sides. Did you check the vent?

 

[koda2000]

Kind of strange to just start leaking on both sides. Did you check the vent?

the vent is clear. the passenger side seal was doing the bulk of the leaking the driver's side had just a small leak, but i figured i might as well replace them both. as i said in an earlier posting, my daughter ran over something in the road and that's when it seemed to start leaking, but i can't really see how that could have had anything to do with it. seals wear out and harden over time. it's just what they do.

i would have thought that the 4WD/AWD guys on this forum would know exactly what the deal is with the presents, or lack, of a passenger side bearing, but i've only received one reply and he found no bearing either.

 

[delexploder]

I have had several out and never found a bearing, if you want I can try to get pics of the one i have out for the mounty

 

[koda2000]

I have had several out and never found a bearing, if you want I can try to get pics of the one i have out for the mounty

thank you for your reply. that's what i wanted to hear! no pics necessary, i'm now intimately familiar with what the axle parts look like.

 

[delexploder]

OK I feel stupid look what I found

 

[Dono]

ok, ill bite.
What is that? Is the seal torn, or are those metal shavings/metal bits I see?

 

[Dono]

If thats both sides of the pumpkin, one sides bearing is recessed really far. I have questioned myself, and others have also.

 

[delexploder]

Lol that's grease and dirt, yea that's what I posted the pics for ,the pass side bearing is approximately two inches in from the seal

 

[Dono]

Thx, pictures can be confusing. I could see a bunch of crap, just not what it was. Yup, that wold cause leaking, for sure. Good job on pulling the whole assembly out for a good clean up. Way easier to service it out of the vehicle. Its going to be like new!

 

[delexploder]

I pulled it out of one of our parts trucks and I'm going to do a cleaning and new seals at least and its going in my mounty

 

[jremington59]

OK, so does the inner shaft ride on the bearing and the cv end goes into the inner shaft?

 

[delexploder]

Yes,in the pic of the shaft you can see the journal it rides on

 

[delexploder]

Where is koda2000?

 

[koda2000]

Where is koda2000?

i'm here, just got back from doing some shopping. well maybe there was a bearing on the passenger side after all. i was expecting it to be obvious like the driver's side, but maybe because it sets back in there further and is different looking i just assumed there wasn't one. i thought i looked pretty well, but maybe i missed it. in any case, i'm not taking it apart again to check... lol.

 

[delexploder]

Lol I felt like an ass when I saw it, I have had my hands in or on at least 7 of these things out of vehicle and never noticed

 

[jremington59]

The passenger side is pretty well hidden. I didn't get down in there and look up inside.

 

[imp]

The Pics

OK, I'm supposed to understand this ****, so here's what I'm seeing:
First pic shows a male splined axle shaft protruding from the axle housing extension; second pic shows that shaft removed and lying atop the housing? It obviously has a bearing surface behind the spline.

Here's my problem, then: the C-V half-shaft MUST HAVE a FEMALE splined socket which engages the male spline shown in the first two pics, would that be correct? The half-shaft would have the smooth external surface providing the seal on the oil seal within the housing? That combined joint, then, is supported through the splined joint by the bearing several inches back in the housing, a nice roller bearing, at that!

Am I seeing it right? Guess I never saw a C-V end before having a FEMALE spline. imp