Spindle replacement

cork · January 09, 2013, 03:11:24 PM

I may be in over my head but I can't be the first. I started out just doing some minor jobs to my early HG/ Cletrac 68...now it's down to a frame with a transmission/diff. case. The spindles are bad and I have some very good final drive housings with spindles from a 42". The question is - How hard is it to remove the spindles and replace the bad ones? Has anyone done this and how do I proceed? My guess is that I grind the weld on the inner trunnion and press toward the outside on the spindle...perhaps heat the outer part of the trunnion? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks Cork

Robert Barbour · January 09, 2013, 06:40:02 PM

I think your plan is correct. I have not needed to changed any, but have seen several where the shaft has come loose so they can't be pressed in there that hard. When you put it back to gether put the shaft in the freezer over night and it willl go in easier.

cork · January 10, 2013, 01:11:46 PM

Robert, Thanks for the reply. Glad to know that it might not be that tight of a fit and freezing the new spindle makes sense. Cork

Jack in NB · January 10, 2013, 01:14:05 PM

I pressed them out on one of mine several years back, to press in a temporary axle to hold a fly cutter to re-shape the inner trunnions after building up the worn bottom and front of the trunnions with braze.

Took them to a shop with a fairly substantial press, put a piece of heavy wall pipe over the axle to support the casting, and pressed. As I recall, it took a fair amount of pressure to pop them loose. There was a bit of galling as the axles came out.

In hindsight, probably applying penetrating oil for a week or so in advance might have been a good idea. I don't recall heating the casting around the axle, but that also might have made the process a bit easier.

cork · January 11, 2013, 05:30:36 PM

Sounds like I'm on the right path. Thanks for all the help. Cork

hotratz · January 19, 2013, 07:30:25 AM

If you can, some pictures of the process would be a great addition to the information on here. I always love looking at build/repair pictures.

Gazer61 · February 04, 2013, 12:02:45 AM

What makes a spindle bad?

It appears that the bull gear was run loose on my Dads OC-3. The thread is worn part way.

What do I need to look for???

Gazer61 · February 16, 2013, 01:51:40 AM

I would appreciate some feedback. I am at a point where I have the final drives apart and would like some feedback on what to look for. By the picture you can see that the threads have been worn down from having a loose bull gear. When do people decide to replace the spindle.

Jack in NB · February 16, 2013, 03:29:08 PM

If that spindle were mine, Gazer, I'd just add washers under the nut to move it farther out on the shaft, so it has mostly full depth threads under it.

1956oc3 · February 16, 2013, 04:28:50 PM

how far down does the nut go in order to hold the gear tight? the washer idea is good
Scottie

Gazer61 · February 16, 2013, 07:49:37 PM

Thanks for the input, I will have to put the bearings and bull gear back on to determine where the damaged threads fall. I will do that before I go any further. I want to decide before I start the assembly process. Can I assume that if the bearings fit tight the rest of the spindle is OK?

1956oc3 · February 16, 2013, 11:23:10 PM

probably, just be sure not to put too much preload on the bearings, you may have to put some shims in behind the bearings

Gazer61 · February 17, 2013, 02:20:42 PM

When I get to the assembly process I will be using all new bearings, but the old bearings will tell me what I need to know.

oliverchris · February 17, 2013, 06:07:40 PM

From memory, there's a hole in the track frame shaft, and in the nut so that's where the nut is supposed to advance to. You pin them together. You get the correct drag by adding shims. 6-8 pounds of drag on the bull gear. It a bit trial and error. The you do same on the pinion shaft [axle] (2-4 lbs drag, I think), before reinstalling the whole final drive unit back to transmission. But could be that on an OC3 the track frame shaft nut has those ear-things that need to be peened to lock the nut. Could be why your threads are squished?

oliverchris · February 17, 2013, 06:30:28 PM

Just remembered a bit more. The nut on an HG is a castle nut, so the split pin goes through the nut and track frame shaft. And, yes I think the nut on the OC3 and OC4 is peen-locked to the track fame shaft. Otherwise there's nothing much to stop it loosening itself.
I can scan the whole process out of the OC4 shop manual, if you like, Cork?

added later: sorry, that's Gazer. I looked at one of those nuts today. They have two tabs to peen for locking. I am sure there's a special name for those nuts? Axle nuts?