Ok so from my best calculations the D44 rear axle in my M38 came out of mid 70�s IH Scout ii, 58� wms to wms width, 30spline shaft and 4 bolt (4 1/4� bhc) bearing retainer plate with 11� drums.
Problem is I put a new bearing amd seal on the drivers side 3 and a half years ago, drove the Jeep on to a flat deck and brought it to my new shop. Durning the 3 1/2 years I have driven the Jeep around the yard and drive and racked up a staggering 2 Km�s. No that�s not a typo it�s a 2.
Last weekend I went to work on the rear brakes, new shoes and a brake bleed and found a good 1/2�of end play, in and out, up and down, in the drivers rear axle. Took everything apart and found the bearing shredded and full of steel chaff. Passenger side has a slight amount of end play say 1/8�.
Looking at the axle I notice the bearings and seal sit flush with the flange on the axle when installed, the brake drum plate sits around the seal but not over it and is 1/8� ish thick, then there is a retainer plate that bolts everything together.
Well there is a 1/8� gap between the retainer plate and the oil seal/bearing, so under any side loading the bearing and seal will always walk out 1/8� .�
So how to get rid of that 1/8� gap?
The bearing set I used was a Timkin set 10 which is correct for basically all no tapered D44�s.
Is there a shim plate that goes somewhere, I have searched but not found a answer.
No sense putting new bearings on until I can figure out how to eliminate the end play, because I really do t want my axle to walk out on me while I�m doing 50!
