2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Axle Shaft bolts Shearing off- 97 1ton dually

[Dave M]

Help! I have a stock 97 1ton dually with about 130k miles. I noticed grease spattering on one rear rim. Figured it was a bad axle seal or loose bolts. When I tried tightening a bolt it snapped easily. Tried loosing a bolt and it snapped. I now have 3 sheared off on one wheel and one on the other. Checked with dealer in Fresno and the bolts are $28 for eight. I noticed some orange sealant on all threads which I assume is a thread locker compound. How can I get the bolts off without breaking them and where can I find some less expensive bolts? I'm hoping once I remove all the bolts I can then extract the broken bolts. It's been suggested I heat the housing before using an easy out. Any ideas would be appreciated. First I need to get all the bolts off without shearing them. I'm a novice on this site and it's my first Diesel which I recently purchased on E-Bay from Texas. I'm a novice backyard mechanic with limited tools. I'm still trying to figure how to post this thread. Any help would be appreciated. I live 50 miles North of Fresno, Calf. Thanks.



I just found another dealer with the bolts for $3. 50 each so I ordered 8. The other dealer must have made a mistake. Still need to figure out how to remove the other bolts and extract the studs that are broken off. Thanks for any help any of you guys can offer.

 

[Scot]

At some point the bolts got loose. This causes the bolts to assume the full drivetrain torque instead of the friction fit between the axle and hub. They have microfractures due to the hardness. My experience is that if they arn't buggered too bad, the bolts come out easily. Otherwise you are drilling grade and easy-outing 8 bolts. Replace them all.

 

[MMiller]

Ususally the bolts will back out with a hammer and sharp punch. If you have some left handed drill bits(bits that drill in reverse) they will bite in and usually back out the bolts. Like Scot says the bolts may have came loose OR the wheel bearing nut is a little loose. This will also cause the bolts to weaken and break. When you get the axel out pull the wheel in and out to see if there is any endplay in the hub.



Find a drive train shop that deals in Dana-Spicer parts for bolts next time. Thats were I usually go to get axel parts.



I wonder if the orange substance you are talking about is extra silicon sealant that the previous person put on the axel to seal it. Not saying I know all but I have only seen red,blue, and green locktite, not orange, yet anyways!



Michael

 

[willyslover]

Sounds like your in the Merced area ??



FYI a great guy to get to know is Brandon Fenley in Modesto . . has a side business doing work on our rigs. . I use him often as I don't bend well after a wreck, [he is also into sled pulling].



anyway he manages the Chevron Express Lube and Car Wash on Oakdale just south of Briggsmore [couple blocks]. . work # 578-1850

welcome to TDR, well meet one of these days I'm sure

Gary

 

[Dave M]

Thanks all for your input. Scot - thanks for the info on the bolts being loose causing microfractures in bolts which might explain why they are shearing. Also I'll order all 16 bolts since they all could be bad. Michael - I'll try using punch to remove the bolts and will check the wheel bearings - good idea. By the way, the dealer said the new bolts have orange on the threads so it might be a sealant. Gary - I live near Oakhurst which is 50 miles North of Fresno off Hwy 41. I'm about 2 hours from Modesto. I'll keep Brandon Fenly in mind and hope to meet you two. Well, I'm going to check the brakes and bearings while i'm there since the parking brake is not holding too well and might indicate worn brakes etc. . The parts won't be in til next week, so next weekend I'll be wrenching. I'll post my results then. Thanks too all. Anyone think of what I might check while I'm into the bearing and brakes? Thanks for help to all.



Dave

 

[willyslover]

Axel seals... not uncommon for them to leak when other things mentioned happen. . cheep insurance and easy while there. .

if things are not holding well double check the shoes for glaze or oil soak. .

and an fyi... our rigs like the rears adjusted freequently as the brakes are not the best IMHO [mine are now disc's ]

 

[Butch Brandt]

thread locking compound

Dave M,



We run into a lot of thread locking compound (Loc-tite) at work. A little heat will degrade it and make it turn loose. Easiest way is with something like a "00" tip on an oxy-acetylene rig. Use a very small flame and put the tip of the blue inner flame right on the head or the "dutchman". With a little experience you will see a very small puff of smoke just as the compund let go. Let it cool good and back it out. Craftsman markets a set of about three little left hand thing-a -ma-jigs to put in your drill motor to back these things out. The workk a little better than a left-handed drill bit.



I haven't seen any locking compound that was orange, but a lot of that stuff is propriatery(sp) and it could be out there.



Good luck!

 

[Dave M]

Willy - Axle seals and bolts should be in Monday. I'll check rear brakes and replace them if they are glazed - they probably will need replaced. I'll make a note of adjusting the rear brakes more often - thanks for info. Butch - I don't have an oxy-acetlyene torch but I'll try my butane torch on it to see if I can burn off the loctite and remove the rest of bolts -thanks for info. I'll check on craftsman left-handed easy out thing-a-ma-jigs. It might come in handy if the bolts are stubborn. Thanks all for input. I'll be trying out your ideas next Friday and will keep you posted.

 

[esdd]

If you've got the axles out, and are pulling the hubs for new seals, take the hubs to a good machine shop to have the broken bolts removed. There are several methods to get the bolts out, from drilling and chasingthe threads, to reverse drills, to laser removal. I broke 6 back in the summer going after leaky seals and used the torch method described above. I would not use a propane torch because you cannot concentrate the heat where it is needed and risk softening the hub before releasing the locktite. Also, chasethe threads in the hubs with a bottom tap and clean the boltholes with brake cleaner before reassembling, dirt, a burr, or leftover locktite can cause a false torque reading and leave the axle loose.

Good Luck

 

[Dave M]

Originally posted by esdd

If you've got the axles out, and are pulling the hubs for new seals, take the hubs to a good machine shop to have the broken bolts removed. There are several methods to get the bolts out, from drilling and chasingthe threads, to reverse drills, to laser removal. I broke 6 back in the summer going after leaky seals and used the torch method described above. I would not use a propane torch because you cannot concentrate the heat where it is needed and risk softening the hub before releasing the locktite. Also, chasethe threads in the hubs with a bottom tap and clean the boltholes with brake cleaner before reassembling, dirt, a burr, or leftover locktite can cause a false torque reading and leave the axle loose.

Good Luck

Thanks for info. I'll try to find a friend who has oxy torch and forget trying the butane torch. I hadn't thought of chasing the threads and using brake cleaner but that's a good idea. I'm not sure if I'll get into the bearings but if I do and can't remove broken bolts I'll take it to a shop as you suggested. On second thought, if I'm going this far I might as well check the bearings. Can I remove the bearing lock nut without a special socket and use a punch and hammer or should I invest in the socket - I assume it is similar to my old 77 F250 3/4 ton truck that I bought a $20 socket for 15 years ago. Is there any way to really tell if the bearings are good or bad other then obvious scoring etc. ? Or should I just replace all the bearings and races. . that would add about $100+ to the job using Napa parts (I get a good discount).

The rear shoes will cost me $70 from Napa and I'll probably just replace them anyway.



Thanks,



Dave

 

[Scot]

Dave, The old Ford socket fits my '93's Dana 70. Your's might also.

 

[Dave M]

Originally posted by Scot

Dave, The old Ford socket fits my '93's Dana 70. Your's might also.

Scot, I knew I'd reget (again) that I gave that socket to the guy I sold the truck to. I will check on the price for this socket from Napa or borrow one. Using the socket will insure the torque on the bearings are correct but if I can't find one I'll use a punch.



Dave

 

[Extreme1]

Another thought since you have the hubs off. I added drain plugs to my hubs so when I change the dif fluid I get the stuff out of the hubs too.

 

[Dave M]

Originally posted by Extreme1

Another thought since you have the hubs off. I added drain plugs to my hubs so when I change the dif fluid I get the stuff out of the hubs too.

Good idea but unfortunately I don't have the tools myself to do it myself , but if I need to take the hubs to a machine shop I'll have them do it. There aren't any good local machine shops here so I'd have to go to the big city (Fresno) about an hour away. That's a great idea though if I can swing it - Thanks. Did you drill thru and insert something like an oil drain plug?



Dave

 

[Dave M]

Do the rear wheel bearings need to be re-packed with grease after I remove and check/replace them? I believe the bearings are lubricated by the rear end fluid so do they need to be packed with wheel bearing grease? I haven't decided if they should be re-packed if I check them and they look good or not. Any ideas?



Thanks

 

[esdd]

Dont add grease to the bearings they are lubed by the oil from the rear diff, just oil them lightly then fill the rear diff to 1/2" below fill plug, drive truck tru to find uneven terrain and recheck level.

 

[Dave M]

Originally posted by esdd

Dont add grease to the bearings they are lubed by the oil from the rear diff, just oil them lightly then fill the rear diff to 1/2" below fill plug, drive truck tru to find uneven terrain and recheck level.

Thanks. . I'll forget the grease... Will any 90W lube work in the diff or is there some special oil.



Dave

 

[esdd]

I'm running 75w140 royal purple synthetic in both diff's. the rp synthetic works great in lsd's without adding a friction modifier,and the heavier grade is because I occasionally pull a 32' trailer. I think DC specs 75w90 but check your owners manual.

 

[CChaney]

Pack the bearings with grease it takes a little while to get the gear oil out to the bearings and you will beglad you packed them.

It cant hurt and the spindle is part of your housing so if you fry a bearing you also bought a new rear end.

 

[Dave M]

Thanks all for input on my problem with bolts shearing - here's what happened. I had help from a friend with an Oxy-acetelyn torch with a 0 tip and we heated the 11 remaining bolts still bolted to the axle. The heat seemed to have evaporated the loctite on threads and all the bolts came off. The 5 sheared off bolts wouldn't budge with a punch and hammer so we tried heating with the torch. It still wouldn't budge so we tried drilling with a sharp bit - but the heat must have temper hardened the bolt and we liked to never drill thru it, but it worked. After heating the stud again we immediately tapped the the easy out in while hot and the stud came out. My fear was breaking the easy out in the hole and never getting it out. After that we drilled the 4 remaining sheared off bolts before heating, and tapped the easy out in while hot and they all came out easy as butter. I chased all the threads and cleaned out holes and it's good as new. I forget to check the torque on the right side before removing the bearing lock nut, but removed the bearings and races and they looked good.



I noticed the left side bearings had some play in them, so I checked the torque before removing the lock nut and it took at least a half turn to get minimum torque of 120 ft-lbs (max 140 ft-lbs). The bearings and races looked good. The 2. 5 inch bearing lock nut was a lock nut with plastic insert on last thread - which I had never seen before on a bearing nut. I assume it can be re-used.



Bottom line, guys, is I think the bearings were loose which put torque on the axle bolts and caused them to streach and become brittle and shear - as was suggested by you guys earlier.



The rear brake shoes were pretty worn but not oil soaked so I replaced them and, for insurance, also the wheel bearings - I don't want to get back in there again for awhile. I'll have to re-adjust the emergency brake and am replacing the rear end fluid.



Thanks again for all your help. I will finish up tonight putting bearings in and rear end fluid etc. . Thought you all might benefit from my experience.



Dave