Axles of Evil

[robwok]

If one of the guys on this site says you the axles is a 4 hour job, don't believe it. Maybe if you've done it before, and you have lifted the AS 4 feet off the ground so you can use a 4 foot breaker bar. Or you have a plasma cutting torch and 3 bodybuilder friends.

I am so mad at these stupid axles. To think that being able to remove an axle from a 64 airstream ranks right up there with graduating college or remodeling a whole house....

Couple weeks of soaking with PB, blowtorch and water, air wrench, breaker bar, and finally resorting to cutting off the bolts after breaking 2 cheaper grind wheels, having to go back for a 1/4" dewalt pro-version grinding wheel.

When I finally get the bolts out, it didn't drop. Couple more swings with a sledge hammer and it drops, but then as I try to twist it to get the shocks in a horizontal position to slide out from under the AS, it gets caught on the belly pan, and then as I try to get it back down, it catches some how and POKES A HOLE IN MY BELLYPAN! I couldn't believe it. Then, as I get it out of the hole, the mounting plate swings back one more time and catches my copper gas line.

It's EVIL. Death to the old axle. It broke rivets on the inside skin of my trailer. Good riddance.

[DanB]

You need a friend called Larry......

Luckily, mine dropped out fairly easily. But, I can imagine that things can get rusted, torqued, and twisted.

Enjoy your sense of accomplishment! You fought the fight and won!

[Jammer]

Sorry, sounds frustrating.

Years ago I spent the money to add a cutting torch to my shop. It has made a huge difference in these sorts of jobs. Much safer and easier than the grinder.

[RickDavis]

A cutting torch is almost a necessity for this kind of stuff. Just cut the old bolts, or at least heat the nuts so they will come off. The same applies to 30 year old brake backing plates.. If I hadn't owned a torch I would still be out there trying to change those brakes, and I started that job 2 years ago.
While I never tried, I would think it would be possible to rent a torch somewhere.

[Stefrobrts]

It's not just you. I paid a shop to do my axle swap, and it took them so long they didn't feel they could charge me for as long as it took them! So I think I got the better end of that deal!

[Frank's Trailer Works]

One hour per axle in and out. The wiring takes me the longest. Sorry Rob.

[robwok]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

One hour per axle in and out. The wiring takes me the longest. Sorry Rob.

Shut up Frank.

(just kidding)

[funkill]

Oh nooooooooooo --- someone that has as many mishaps in a single project as I. Thank you! People think I make this kinda stuff up.

Hope installation of the new axle went in much more smoothly & quickly.

Laura

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I bet he was cursing the bolt hole alignment. Or I should say, misalignment.

[MarkR]

Murphy is alive and well - I think he actually lives in my Trailer.

[robwok]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I bet he was cursing the bolt hole alignment. Or I should say, misalignment.

I was actually prepared for that part. Its the bolts that seem to have been secretly welded onto the nuts, and then covered with a layer of rust to hide the evidence that elicit the curses.

Maybe you can talk about it on the VAP and see if Colin matches your 1 hour off and on time.

[exthemius]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

One hour per axle in and out. The wiring takes me the longest. Sorry Rob.

Frank....didn't you just post about axle swaps and how much fun they are on your blog? If you ask me, you're all gluttons for punishment, but at least someone enjoys it.

[Mikethefixit]

Rob
Sorry ya had so many problems. IF ya had brought it to ME and my neighbor would have changed em in about 3 hrs,depending on the beverage breaks. NO BEER neither of us Drink. I pulled mine up on about 6 inches of lumber on the front axle first. It takes a good air compressor and a really good impact. We had to presuade my axles to fall out also and we did have to encourage the new ones to slide into place(plastic dead blow hammer) Total time with beverage breaks and a rain delay about 3 hrs, give or take a few minutes.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

One hour per axle in and out. The wiring takes me the longest. Sorry Rob.

It takes me a couple hours per, if I have to drill new holes. I haven't met an axle mounting bolt yet that I couldn't take off or break off with my mondo air gun... About 5 seconds or so each... I usually can cut new bolt holes with the torch faster than I can drill them. And yes, they are round.

[clancy_boy]

My time was 4 hours - 2 working and 2 just wondering as I sat on the driveway why I got myself into this mess. Caravel is much happier, me???? yet to be determined how I feel about it..... That was three years ago - the knuckles have just now healed.... the scars remain.

[pgr32e]

Mine was an afternoon in my dirt driveway by myself with a borrowed air impact driver. No trouble with bolts, Holes lined up on new axles and the rig tows like a dream. Sorry yours was not fun. Murphy is alive and lives in all our tool boxes...........Phil.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, this story reminds me of a friend that worked next to me at the Lincoln Mercury dealer in the 70's. He was from Canada and was so excited because he told me that in California he could actually unscrew all of the nuts and bolts and reuse them too; Versus in Canada, most all of the bolts either broke, had to be drilled out, or torched.

[SilverHoot]

Had my impact wrench ready, but did not need it, just used a 15" breaker bar and the nuts came right off. Our's has been in California it's whole life. (Least there is something good about this state!) Drilling the holes was the hardest part. Both axles by myself in less than 4 hours.

[robwok]

Fortunately, 2nd axle came off in less than an hour. I think the second Evil Axle realized that it was doomed and meekly met its end. They're both at the landfill waiting to be recycled. Probably into some mechanical means of torture - say a IRS auditor's metal desk or something.

[HiHoAgRV]

I guess its a roll of the dice on how hard it is to remove the axle bolts...

My '63 popped right off...I did use a 3/4" socket set but they probably would have come off just as easy with a 1/2 " standard length rachet.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f109...tml#post966651

Even on my '77 they didn't fight much. I don't drill bolt holes...do it before you hang the axle.


http://www.airforums.com/forums/f437...tml#post558524