Cleaning Dana 44 axle tubes?

[michael084]

Replacing my front axles with some from the mass buy. Of course just as I expected when I pulled the axles there is tons of dirt in there so before I put the new ones in and push all that dirt into my diff I would like to clean them out. Maybe bend a coat hanger and scrape out what I can? Follow up with a little cloth on the coat hanger to try to get some more out? What are you guys techniques? Also since I mud a lot would I be better off not installing that little dust shield and letting the stuff drain out a little better since the shield doesn't really stop much anyway?

 

[welndmn]

I use a peice of all thread and a washer.
Find a washer the is the OD and the ID of the axle tube, cut the washer just over in 1/2.
Bolt the washer to the allthread, then you push and scrape the junk out.

 

[Steve]

My custom axle tube cleaner is a 3' piece of 1" PVC pipe. I tape it to the end of my shop vac hose so that the suction goes thru the PVC. You can scrape the crap out with the PVC and it suctions it out at the same time. Works great. ;D

Yes, for mudding you should leave that dust shield off so it can drain out and not dry up inside the tubes.

 

[michael084]

Thanks, great ideas.