Boy, that's a nice rear!

[yellow wagon]

Out with the old

In with the new

Swapped my third member out last night. Everything went great. Removed 336 open rear (stock) and went to Eaton posi in a non-P case with Richmond 3.73s and Aubrey Bearing Cap Girdles. Everything came apart like butter including the axles. One thing that seemed odd to me was the axle bearings...they only have a single o-ring seal?? I thought the 64's had a double 0-ring seal To me, it looked like the axles have never been out of the rearend. I scraped a really old and crusty gasket off the flange so I don't know. They have worked for this long so if it ain't broke.....

Impressions on the Eaton and the 3.73s: So far so good. Eaton is quiet. 3.73s feel good. Should be a fun gear once I finally can go to the 4-speed. Even with the powerglide the acceleration is snappy. Now to get my 2nd upper control arm in and I'll be set!

OH and the old lady that bought the car new must have been doing burnouts with the 6 cylinder because there is a bit of twist to the splines on the driver's side axle. Might have to save for a set of replacement axles down the road. Which speaking of, anybody have the measurements needed to order a set? I blanked on measuring them with the axles out

 

[yellow wagon]

...and big thanks to Eric 63z11 for setting the chunk up for me I still owe him some beers for his help bang

 

[bobs409]

Hey Yellow, don't the axles have a retaining clip? I've never had one apart but looks like they just slide out.

Do you just remove the bolts at the back of the wheel? Learn me something on this ok?

Oh yeh, I know how to make it alot easier to R&R a rear. Just cut the back end of the car off and rip out the gas tank. I R&R'd mine just sitting on my rolling shop stool.


So, what would be the going rate for a 3.36 or 3.55 posi to throw in mine? You got connections?

 

[63z11]

nice 3rd member

Hey Jay, thanks for the plug. Glad you got it in. So its quiet?

 

[yellow wagon]

no C-clip on these Bob....just a flange-style axle. Remove the 4-bolts on the back side of the backing plate, I went around the entire perimeter of the axle/wheel studs and tapped them when a non-marring mallet, attached a chain with a lugnut and THHHWWAACK the chain and out she comes. The driver's side needed a few whips if the chain but nothing super forceful. Passenger side came out with one whip.

I got a good price on the Eaton through Summit. I priced out the posi through GearsAREus I believe online and then called Summit and they matched the price....if memory serves me right, they might have even beat the online price by $15 or something like that. I had some stockpiled Summit Bucks also and badda bing! I did buy the full installation kit from GearsAREus for $99 to get all new bearings, shims, crush sleeve etc:

http://www.gearsareus.com/bearings.htm

all USA Timken bearings so well worth it.

Bought the ring N pinion off ebay, new of course. Thats about all the connections I have I'm just a frugal shopper. I don't buy anything unless its a good price

 

[yellow wagon]

Hey Jay, thanks for the plug. Glad you got it in. So its quiet?

Eric its perfect. You set it up great man!! No noise that I could hear at all. Made sure to add the GM posi additive and just Valvoline 80-90. Works great so far. I think the 3.73s will be a great gear with the 4-speed The whole thing went together great. The only issue I had was trying not to drop the stocker on my head when I pulled it out....it was stuck and then WHOOSHIIIT here she comes

 

[1961BelAir427]

Unless things have changed since I looked into upgrading a stock rear several years back......Dutchmen Axles makes some nice axles for the '55-64 rears and had the stock lengths so you didn't have to provide them with any measurements or spline count (17). You could just tell them you wanted axles for a _________ (1961 Belair in my case....same axles as your 64) and they could ship them out. Also worth noting: The guy I talked to there said that if you wanted to narrow the original housing to just tell them how much you took out on each side and they could send custom/shorter axles for the same price. I always thought that it shouldn't be too hard to take 1" to 1 1/2" off each side since our housing ends use a bolt in axle. Would make it alot easier to get those wide wheels/tires in there. I have to turn my slicks to an odd angle to get them between the brake drum and the top of the quarter panel with my stock width housing.

 

[64ss409]

One thing that seemed odd to me was the axle bearings...they only have a single o-ring seal?? I thought the 64's had a double 0-ring seal

They had a single O-ring. Many of the replacement bearings today come with two.

 

[yellow wagon]

I have to turn my slicks to an odd angle to get them between the brake drum and the top of the quarter panel with my stock width housing.

Thanks for the heads up on the Dutchman axles. I'll look into those. Does anyone know if Brad at Showcars has the Moser axles corrected that they offer? I know several people on here have mentioned them not fitting. I would hope that has been corrected by now. I also have a hell of a time getting my 275-60s out from the car. Have to wiggle and tilt them all sorts of crazy ways

 

[1961BelAir427]

I don't know, but I saw the Showcars axles on Ebay right after posting that. If the fit is right then the Mosers should be plenty tough.

 

[models916]

Show cars fixed axle

I know they supplied a spacer for the bearings on the axles they had on hand. That's what I used in my 62. Originally the outer bearing was pressing on too far, just press the spacer on before the bearing and it fits like a glove. I got the ones with the .5 studs.

 

[yellow wagon]

sounds excellent. So they'll supply the axle with the spacer if it needs it? I wonder why they just don't get Moser to machine it correctly?

 

[1961BelAir427]

I think Showcars supplied the spacer to correct the first batch of axles to sell them through, but have now corrected the problem.

 

[models916]

It is correct

According to Moser, they machined it to the spec they got. I talked with Show Cars about my axles and it seems they mistook a small ridge on the axle flange as the end of the bearing. They measured the axle with the bearing on. Moser doesn't measure anything, just machine to spec. Still a nice axle. Something else is going to break before those axles.

 

[yellow wagon]

I think Showcars supplied the spacer to correct the first batch of axles to sell them through, but have now corrected the problem.

excellent, thanks for the update I hope to order a set here soon

 

[1961BelAir427]

I agree.....you will break something else before you break those axles from Moser or Dutchmen. I sure wish Chevy had built our cars (as well as 3rd/4th Gen F-bodies, and 78-87 A/G Bodies) with a larger ring and pinion. For our cars it wouldn't have cost GM much more to go with the Pontiac/Olds design. For those others I mentioned it would have been so easy for them to go with the 8.5 "corporate" 10 bolt. (They even did in a handfull of the G-bodies.) In my opinion, if you are building a nice street car and don't plan on slicks or being too hard on it from a launch, then the factory rear is okay.....but if you plan on anything more....you are money ahead if you just go ahead with a whole different assembly.