LF Axle excessive end play

[DonS08]

1973 Series III

I am refurbishing the front drive train all the way back to the differential oil seal. I'm building back up now, installed the RH axle (short) to completion. After installing the LH (long) axle I noticed that there's a great deal of end-play in it, which I don't think is right. Since the axle floats, the whole wheel and tire assembly would have this same end-play, nearly if not actually letts the inner wheel oil seak to pull back from its sealing surface on the stub axle (not good).

By my eye, when assembled the inside edge of the axle's wheel splines should roughly align with the end of the stub axle, and the wide shoulder in the slines should not be revealed. Yet I can put on the axle and this pulls out the spline shoulder beyond the end of the stub axle.

The only thing retaining the axle in its housing is the stub axle, thus I believe I'm missing a spacer on the differential side of this, where the wheel side yoke of the half-shaft inserts into and through the stub axle. I also note there's not even a semblance of a tight fit in this same place. I suspect that a small, rather skinny spacer, or a very skinny bearing, about 1/4 - 1/2" wide is supposed to side onto the short side of the half-shaft yoke. This then would provide a postive retainer, psuhing and holding the axle farther into the differential and leaving no end play once the stub axle is bolted firmly in place.

Am I on the right track here? Bearing or spacer? This would explain why this wheel was full of water-instrusion when I disassembled it.

Thanks,
Don

 

[antichrist]

The axle shafts have a lot of end float before you install the nut or circlip. Which axle do you have? The one with a nut on the end of the axle? Should be axle, felt washer, metal washer, nut, end cap.
1/4" - !/2" end float before all that is normal.
The axle shaft end float will not transfer to a lot of end float on the hub/wheel. That's why they are called fully floating axles. The hub is held in place by the hub nuts that screw on to the stub axle, which is bolted to the axle housing. The wheels are held in place relative to the hub by the lug nuts.

 

[DonS08]

My bad I guess. I was putting 'er back together after a year on blocks. After installing the wheel hub I panicked, with all that axle play. It finally came to me that the shoulder on the hub-side splines of the axle itself is what keeps it from pulling out of the differential. Duh. To answer your direct question, yes, nut on the end of the axle.

Thanks for the note, she's all back together now and sitting on rubber for the first time in a long time. Alas, robbed of my victory drive, the clutch seems to be jammed in the drive disengaged position. Odd, I've had it "weld" itself to the flywheel to be permanently engaged, which a quick start in low gear would break free. This is the first time the opposite has occurred. Gotta climb back under there and see what's what.

Wouldn't be my Rover if I had a moment without *something* amiss

Don

 

[evedlylof]

can somebody tell me if this the right part number for the axle seal 91205-pl3-b01? and do anybody know where i could find info. on how to replaces the seal.
_________________
http://www.ps2netdrivers.net/manual/napco.rpxp6gt/