[Dusk-till-Dawn]

You won't BELIEVE what happened to me Friday nite. As I was coming up the mountain in the Cougar I was going around a left turn when I heard a noise and the car kinda felt funny. Then I looked in the left mirror and saw the left tire sticking out from the car about a foot. The axle bearing failed, I was going about 70-75 when it let go. The car dropped onto the traction bar and slid on the bar about 100yrds till I got stopped. The worst part was that I was stuck in a lane about 200 yards after a curve, this was at 5:30pm and the traffic was coming by fast! The car was blocking a lane and there was several near misses before we got it on the flat bed. Since the weight was carried by the traction bar, the brake backing plate and u-bolts and shock bolts were OK. The bad part was that the HARDENED axle shaft with the splines on it was spinning in a MILD steel axle tube till I got it stopped. To make a short story long, the axle cut a hole in the axle housing about four inches from the end, trashing the rear end housing. It even trashed the last inch or so of the splines on the shaft! So I had to go to a junkyard in San Berdoo and find a rearend, I found one on a pile that was the same except it was 2.5" narrower then the old one (1.25" per side, more room for wider tires). So I paid $220 for it and hauled it home. I took it and replaced the wheel bearings (don't want to have to go this again for a while), then I put my 4.11 gears in it. Just when I thought everything was roses I discovered that my old brake drums (I used my old brake backing plates and brakes) wouldn't fit the axle shafts. The hole in the drum was smaller then the flange. The new drums were for 2" brakes and the old were 1 3/4" so today I had to go upgrade to 2" brake shoes. After that little bug it seems to be working fine, jeez The things I go through to get rid of a little cash!
Mark (with a lighter wallet)
P.S. I got a *****en Jpeg of the axle and housing but I couldn't get it to upload I'll try later

 

[kvinmn]

Exactly the reason why us flatlanders stay down here on the farm...can't stand them &%#! mountain roads (unless I'm on the motorcycle of course!).

Seriously, glad that ended up only costing you $$$. Remember, it's only $$$ - you'll make more...

Ken

 

[Dusk-till-Dawn]

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if it's my computer but I have tried to attach a spiffy picture of the axle dammage and it keeps getting denied. The file is a Jpeg about 66K big.
Mark

 

[cougarguy]

Mark im glad your okay and that the damage was rather minor overall.

 

[greggieatthebat]

DtD - I'm glad you're ok! And think about this: now you have a narrowed rear (for wider tires) and better brakes! You upgraded very nicely by accident!
Besides, it's just another thing to add to your list of "things you've broken"... is this a first or a second?

 

[cmpcpro]

Thats strange, if you wan't e-mail the picture to me, and I will post it for you.

Sorry to hear about your axle!

 

[badcatt]

Mark,
That can mess up your afternoon, not to mention what it can do to your shorts!

 

[swamper]

So I take it there is no clearance problem on inner wheel wells? Any idea what the rear was out of?

It's a wonder you had any control at all. In all I would say this was good luck.

 

[modifiedmark]

Dusk-till-Dawn, glad it didnt turn out worse than it did. I guess I let that last 9" go too cheap! I sold it for only $100. But it was going in a race car and knew the guy wasnt loaded. mm

 

[Dusk-till-Dawn]

I'm going to try again to add the picture.
Mark

 

[greggieatthebat]

Well, I you could use an axle-shaft's spline's to side-mill the inside of a tube, but for the life of me I can't see why you would want to do that?

When are they gonna learn to make axles out of tool steel so we can do the job right, and get all the way through that stinkin' mild steel tube!



DtD - that's one of those parts that you keep on the shelf just to show people!
:eek2: