Archived Cross threaded Front Axle Spindle

[dan_gilson]

Does anyone know the thread size?



Best ways to correct (preferrable without changing the axle out?



Big die or chase it with a thread restorer. I susgest that the axle is hardened so either will probably be hard.



98. 5 3500 4x4



Any help, thoughts, suggestions (even words of encouragement) would be greatly appreciated.



This has been the brake job from hell. I just upgraded to ERG all the way around. The part looked great and fit well. I would like to be able to try them out. The front bearing design has a lot to be desired (it SUCKS!).



I would have taken this to a shop if I could find one that I could trust. Unfortunately this job has been at the limit of skills.



Provided that I can get this fix and don't break anything else I should be just about finished.



Thanks in advance.

... Dan

 

[Extreme1]

If the threads are a little burred, a chaser ought to do it. If you staarted the nut a couple turns and really did in the threads, start with the knive edge of a file and chase them manually, then switch to either a chaser or a die.



Either way, get a new nut, they are an interferance type locking nut and if you run a tap through it you will destroy the locking capacity.



When it looks bleak, stop, breath deep, think up a new swear word, have a beer, kiss your wife, then go on. It could be worse, it could be a Ford!

 

[willyslover]

if you don't have the chaser/restorer. . snap-on tools has them for the larger sizes like axels & hubs

www.snapon.com

most of the local van guys will not have this on the truck.



I did the same thing many years ago on 3/4 ton 4x4 Chevy ,was in back country wheeling and fishing... the bearing broke and took the half shaft and buggered the spindle. . I was able to get it fixed and out with a file. . took a while but it worked for 90k miles. .

so all hope is not lost. . take your time and get the right tools and parts.

 

[jlhartak]

Good advice above. Just take it easy. Remember to start chasing threads from the inside out to the bad part using good thread to guide you as you straighten up the bad.



The Dodge cartridge bearing is not one of their better ideas, just cheaper to mfg. At $500 ea. for the cart. I will go to the Dynatrac hub kit when mine need replacing.



Best to You

 

[bighammer]

The stub shaft can't be that $$$ if it doesn't work. Maybe a new U-joint at the same time.



If it's just the end, can you grind/cut it off? (or reduce the dia to where the threads are good)



I hope it works out for you.

 

[Ron Bissett]

Thread size?

Auto zone has a fold up thread gauge . You could use a eight sided thread file ,just try to match each side of file to find take nut to store to match thread . Hope you have good luck . Ron in LOUISVILLE KY

 

[daveshoe]

Hey J Hart

What is a Dynatrac Hub Kit ? I am curious if this kit is superior to OEM. I saw a bearing failere at 80 K on a well maintained truck. Corrosion of hub seemed to be the problem and on a 98 model truck has me looking for something better than OEM.

The bearing failure happened with no warning and just about caused an accident ;it toasted the front end at about $3K in damage. Thanks for any info you can offer



Dave Shoemaker

 

[dan_gilson]

I took a needle file to it today after getting another Nut from Dodge. The new nut still does not thread on. I have checked it with my finger nail and it seems fine but no go for the nut. I have a Noga Thread restoring tool on order from the local machine shop. It says that it has 2 hardened steel blades to restore threads. It also appears that it can be used from the inside (good) threads out. As soon as I can get the new nut to thread I will mount the rotor again.



The threads seem to be 18 tpi. When I put a dial calibre on the axle it measures 1. 070". Which does not seem to match anything on my chart here.



Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

 

[Jff24Gordn]

Was this by any chance the drivers side nut? Acording to my local 4x4 shop, there are quite a few dodges with the drivers side nut on WAY too tight. Mine stripped the threads out from the factory. Darn drunk robot and a hydrolic inpact. A new shaft from the u joint out was $50 for a dana spicer part. He said Dodge was $200 for the same part.

 

[M Barnett]

Here is one fix I have in mind to save the threads. Take a standard nut, probably a hard #8. With a die grinder, cut all the way through one side of the nut, from outside to inside. With a tool like a small screwdriver blade clamped in your vise, insert the slit you have made in the nut on the blade and twist the nut so the tool is holding the nut in a spread position. Then work the nut and tool on the shaft until you get to the good threads. Remove the tool so the nut can go back to original diameter. Now you have a nut in the good thread area and hopefull you can work it out and straighten the threads with the nut and shaft oiled. You can always clamp down on the nut to tighten it if its too loose with vicegrips.

Michael

 

[illflem]

Dan, if the nut was very hard to remove it may have been galled on since DC doesn't use anti-seize on the nut. If that's the case the axle threads came off with the nut, you're better off to replace the axle stub.

 

[dan_gilson]

Idon't think this could be a DC problem. I just did not get enough threads into the nut before applying a lot of torque to move the hub in. I had to take of the hub a 2nd time because I moved the ABS tone ring on the first assembly.



This is the right side. I did have another problem with it. DC remplaced the hub some time ago. Appearrently the mechanic did not read the book because it was way over torqued. A breaker bar with a pipe extension did not do it. My 300#ft impact did not do it at first. I bumped the regulated air up to max for the gun and sprayed a bunch of penitrating oil and after ~20 seconds it finally freed.



It does really suck that DC does not use any assembly lube though. It takes a lot of work with a puller to remove the hub. They are now coated with anit-sieze.



I am really interested in now you remove the u-joint at the hub in case it comes to that. How do you get that guy apart. I do not see the normal clips on it like those on the drive shaft u-joints.



I had not thought about splitting a nut and using it as a die. The problem is that the original castle nut does not have a lot of meat and I do not know the size for trying to get another say grade 8 nut. It appears to be 18 tpi but do not know if metric or SAE. I could always see if another dealer in the area has another castle nut and give it a try.



Man you guys are great! I had visions of having to flat bed the truck to a dealer and admit defeat.

 

[Extreme1]

If it comes to R&Ring the axle, it just slides out. The retaining clips are on the inside edge of the caps.



Be careful that you don't damage the axle seal. If the truck is level side to side, it will probably leak for a while after you pull the axle if you don't wreck the seal...

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Originally posted by jlhartak





The Dodge cartridge bearing is not one of their better ideas, just cheaper to mfg. At $500 ea. for the cart. I will go to the Dynatrac hub kit when mine need replacing.



Best to You

I got mine from NAPA. About $213. 00

 

[GAmes]

One of the spindle nuts on mine came from the factory cross threaded. Of course I didn't find it till after my 36,000 miles were past so DC wouldn't fix it. I took a new nut to my favorite machinist and he had nothing that matched the thread size so I used a small triangular file to "re-thread" the spindle. That was 90,000 miles and one brake job ago and it is still working. You just gotta have patience.

 

[bramage]

I too stripped the threads on the stub shaft, ('97 2500 passenger side), I don't remember price from the stealer on the shaft but I remember it was way too much. I took it to our local machine shop and the owner measured it and was able to order a tap to chase the threads. Cost me $20, half the cost of the tap. But I didn't cross thread it only stripped it removing it. With a new nut its worked for 40K and another R@R. I've learned to heat only the nut before trying to remove it with a cool flame (propane works well). REMEMBER ONLY THE NUT. You don't want to get the rotor or shaft too hot as it could damage seals in hub bearing.

 

[jlhartak]

The Dynatrac kit replaces the spindle, hub and axles. It converts to a locking hub on the axle end like early Dodges and Fords. it replaces the axle disconnect with a solid one piece axle. I believe most of the parts are Dana. See Dynatracs web site at: www.dynatrac.com.



I loaned my TDR journals out but I believe a recent one had a cover picture of a white std cab with a shell on it with an article inside; that truck has the conversion on it.

 

[dan_gilson]

Thanks to all for all the help! UPS delivered a thread chaser tool yesterday and after working with it for a couple of hours I got the new nut to thread on. I was able to then mount the hub and rotor and get the truck operational again.