Thomas A
Registered User
So perhaps I am just loosing my mind here or having a senior moment, but this seemingly mundane task of torquing down the rear axles nuts has my completely confused. I've worked on these cars for years and have had half shafts in and out of these cars dozens of times, but it has been a while. This latest work involved changing the axle seals and replacing both half-shafts with re-manufactured Ford parts and those silly aftermarket nuts (think Dorman style) on my 1997 with an automatic transmission. There is probably a simple explanation for what I am finding and you will probably all laugh at me, but I can't get it through my non-engineering mind....
When I go to actually torque down the axle nuts, the half shafts just turn, as if the car isn't in park. I go to turn the nut on the right side, and the hub and half shaft both turn, and so does the one on the other side. I try the left one, and same thing. I rolled under there to ensure I got both shafts fulling "clipped" into the differential, and they are nice and tight and I heard that nice "click" sound when inserting them. When I try to turn the half shafts by hand up close to the differential, they engage the pinion gear and won't turn as the car is in park and the driveshaft will not allow it. Just as you would expect.
So... how in the world can I spin the whole assembly when trying to torque down the axle nuts, as if the pinion gear wasn't there or the car was in neutral, yet when I turn the half shaft by hand it won't move. I thought perhaps something was slipping in one of the joints of the half shaft, but if that was the case, then the movement shouldn't be transferred from one end through the differential to the other end. It all seems to be connected and working in that regard. The splines on slide well into the hub, nice and tight but without issue, and the hub turns when the half-shaft turns, just as you would expect it to.
The car was being driven without any noticeable issues to the rear end other than leaking seals and a half shaft with a torn boot. The factory trak-loc worked well, and inspection when I pulled the cover to change the fluid didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary. No pieces in the case, clean parts, no sheen to the oil from metal shavings, no broken clutch teeth, etc. I can torque the axle nuts with the wheels back on the car and on the ground, but shouldn't I be able to do it without as long as the car is in park? What am I missing here?
Thomas
When I go to actually torque down the axle nuts, the half shafts just turn, as if the car isn't in park. I go to turn the nut on the right side, and the hub and half shaft both turn, and so does the one on the other side. I try the left one, and same thing. I rolled under there to ensure I got both shafts fulling "clipped" into the differential, and they are nice and tight and I heard that nice "click" sound when inserting them. When I try to turn the half shafts by hand up close to the differential, they engage the pinion gear and won't turn as the car is in park and the driveshaft will not allow it. Just as you would expect.
So... how in the world can I spin the whole assembly when trying to torque down the axle nuts, as if the pinion gear wasn't there or the car was in neutral, yet when I turn the half shaft by hand it won't move. I thought perhaps something was slipping in one of the joints of the half shaft, but if that was the case, then the movement shouldn't be transferred from one end through the differential to the other end. It all seems to be connected and working in that regard. The splines on slide well into the hub, nice and tight but without issue, and the hub turns when the half-shaft turns, just as you would expect it to.
The car was being driven without any noticeable issues to the rear end other than leaking seals and a half shaft with a torn boot. The factory trak-loc worked well, and inspection when I pulled the cover to change the fluid didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary. No pieces in the case, clean parts, no sheen to the oil from metal shavings, no broken clutch teeth, etc. I can torque the axle nuts with the wheels back on the car and on the ground, but shouldn't I be able to do it without as long as the car is in park? What am I missing here?
Thomas