I have the axle shafts out of my '72 skylark 10 bolt. How do you go about taking the bearing/seals off the axle shafts? And than how do you reinstall the new bearings back on?
Take a die grinder and cut the collar, this will relieve its squeeze and you can then slide off the collar and bearing. The new bearing will slide back on, the collar will need to be pressed into place. I always like to use a press for this but i have seen guys heat up the collar and drive it on with a pipe and large hammer.
Need help from any of you Buick Rear End experts! Got my new Detroit True Trac and Jegs Axles for GM 10bolt 8.5 68-72. Started tear down of my 71' GS's Rear End expecting it's 10bolt to be like my El Camino's 12bolt and was surprised to see my Buick Rear End doesn't have C-clips like my 12 bolt does. How the heck do ya get the axles out of these things?? Do I used a slide hammer axle puller??? 2nd question is, will I be able to use the Axles I bought and this True Trac in this 10bolt, I didn't think there was a difference in the GM corporate 10 bolt. Thanks for any input.
I honestly have not played much with GM axles but there are only three types of axle retainers that i know of. 1st is the c-clip style where you remove the spiders from the diff and pull the clips. 2nd is a bearing flange bolted to the axle tube, for access pull the brake drum and use an extension with a socket through the axle flange to remove the nuts behind the axle flange. 3rd is a full floating axle where you remove the 6-8 bolts from the end of the axle and just yank it out without pulling a wheel or diff cover. I have had many a 9" Ford apart and they use the bearing flange style where you remove the 4 flange nuts behind the axle flange. Most GM10 bolts, GM12 bolts, GM semi-float 14 bolts, Dana-44, Dana-60, 8.8 Ford, Dodge 7 1/4, Dodge 8 1/4, Dodge 9 1/4, etc.... were all c-clip style axles
Thanks for your input, I did remove all the Brake Parts, and removed the bearing backing plate's 4 bolts, so at this point I just need to get an axle puller slide hammer, and they will come out ? Will it pull the bearing out with it as well? Also, can I replace the stock axles with the Jegs one's I got that look to use C-clips, along with the True Track Differential I bought, or will the bearing Races not fit these axles do you think?? I am thinking I may need to call Jegs to comfirm, as I didn't specify this was going into a Buick 10 bolt, I just ordered it all online for GM 8.5 10 bolt 68'-72'. Russ
Yes, The axles will pull out. The bearings and seal will pull out with the axle. In the past, I have just reversed the drum, and installed a few lug nuts, and used that to pull the axles, but I have been told that you can damage the drums that way. Buick Skylark/GS used the 8.5 10 bolt in 71 and 72. It used bolt in axles. If I was you, i would return everything to Jegs, and contact Monzaz on this board. You will get all the right parts and probably a better price. There is no way to tell whether you have the right parts with the information you have provided. Buick used an 8.2 10 bolt from 64-67, and then again in 68-70, but the 68-70 is different than the earlier rears. Then in 71 and 72, they used the 8.5. All the Buick rears used bolt in axles. I would PM Monzaz, or call him. This is his website, http://www.jdrace.com/default.htm
Learn something everyday, i was unaware Buick had bolt in axles but IMO it is a better design. I would send those parts back as advised and deal with the fello recommended. I have dealt with Summit and Jegs and while they do know a lot they are not experts so dealing with a Buick expert only makes sense. I will have to pull my rear axle apart now just to see how it comes apart. If memory serves me the guy i bought it from swapped in a rear axle from a Pontiac Tempest so mine may have c-clip. I do have the original to my Lark but with an open diff, will have to look at that too. Thanks for the info.
