another chevy disc brake conversion question

[dave316]

I'm in the middle of a chevy disk brake conversion Used all (junk yard) parts and every thing going togher good but thier is not enough room to get the outer snapring on the outer axle shaft. Do you just leave the snapring off? all the conversion rightups that i have read don't say any thing about that snapring any one got any ideas or has run into this? Thanks

 

[ransil]

Leave it off and use a 7/16" bolt with a washer on it threaded into the end of the axle.
The chevy short side axle is a good upgrade it you grabbed it.

 

[pcf_mark]

7/16 fine thread about 3/4 long. 1" is too long and bottoms out.

 

[dave316]

So do you have tap threads in the end of the axle?

 

[TBS-POPS]

If you have warn hubs the snap ring on the axle is not necessary. with stock hubs then you have to use the bolt and washer trick.

 

[BurntOrange74]

dont you have to use bolt and washer with warn premium hubs also?

 

[dave316]

ok is the main reason bolt and washer\snapring to keep the axle from sliding out of the hub or is it to stop the axle from bouncing around and the inner axle ear from hitting the axle tube

 

[pcf_mark]

The axle can not come out because it is contained by the shoulder on the end of the axle. After the u-joint the stub axle passes through a bearing and then out the hub. So no it does not keep the axle in. Also the stub axle housing is bolted on with the six bolts you put in to hold it together. The bolt holds the log/un lock gear looking thing. When it slides in it engages the stub axle housing AND the axle then it drives the wheels. Without the snap ring or washer/bolt it will move around on it's own I think.

 

[DirtDonk]

So do you have tap threads in the end of the axle?

Not all axles have the threaded holes. Don't know if anyone has bothered to tap theirs or not in those cases. Not sure it'd be all that easy to do either.
Probably not worth the trouble unless you were having a specific problem.

Paul

 

[BurntOrange74]

Leave it off and use a 7/16" bolt with a washer on it threaded into the end of the axle.
The chevy short side axle is a good upgrade it you grabbed it.

So.. If you have a 74 chev blazer dana 44, you say grab the short side axle so you can use it with the snap ring?

 

[TBS-POPS]

The chevy axle outers are a tad longer so the snap rings fit. With the ford axles if you have STOCK hubs then you have to use the bolt and washer method to contain the inner part of the hub in position. they could work themselves out and eat the outer twist knob from the inside. With WARN hubs, the snap ring or bolt/washer is not necessary as the design of the hub will not let the inner work itself out.In the warn instructions it states that the axle snap ring is not necessary and prob wont fit anyway.

 

[Pa PITT]

I agree with all the above but also... Just in case I've had trouble a few time getting the snap ring bad on the end of the axle . So it you think it's supposed to fit then get a big screw driver and get behind the ujoint and push out on the shaft .then put snap ring one. May not be your issue but it has done it for me several times .. My axle would move in and out about 1/4 inch.

 

[SDlivin]

when I did this conversion, I had the same issue. Still not sure exactly why you need that snap ring, but I was just a tad shy of being able to get the snap ring on. I ended up using a dremel and cut off wheel and very carefully made the snap ring groove on the axle a little bit bigger all the way around. This let me just get the snap ring on now.
The axles are tapped, so I will probably also go in and add the bolts on the end for back-up.
Still not sure if either are really needed though. Running Mile Marker Locking hubs.