Purchased HP44/ Ford 9" suggestions welcome

[90xj_zach]

That's what I figured. I just read through your axle swap John. Great read.

So the race is still in my axle housing I believe. Any thing I should know about that, as in when new bearings are put on my shafts and the time comes to slide the shafts into the housing, what other steps should I know about? I assume there is an axle seal too. I guess that would come with a new bearing kit.

 

[Serious Offroad]

The bearing and retainer are typically packaged together, the seal is not.

 

[John D]

That's what I figured. I just read through your axle swap John. Great read.

So the race is still in my axle housing I believe. Any thing I should know about that, as in when new bearings are put on my shafts and the time comes to slide the shafts into the housing, what other steps should I know about? I assume there is an axle seal too. I guess that would come with a new bearing kit.

Thanks. You will probably want to pull the race and put a new one in if you plan to use that style of bearing. However, you are better off to get one of these http://www.amazon.com/BCA-Bearings-...=UTF8&qid=1352050736&sr=8-1&keywords=88128-ra
Sealed bearing and retainer.

 

[X1994J]

That bearing retainer is pressed on, so to change the bearing you have to cut mostly through the retainer then get a chisel and finish splitting it. You can put the new one in the oven to heat it up and it should go on fairly easy. Thats how I changed mine anyway.

 

[90xj_zach]

You can put the new one in the oven to heat it up and it should go on fairly easy. Thats how I changed mine anyway.

Interesting. Wear gloves and put it on while its still very hot?

Also, I would like to spool the rear. Who here has had good luck with a mini-spool? I will only have a 36" tire.

 

[90xj_zach]

....and why does it seem I've seen pictures and videos of guys pulling out shafts out of 9"s in which the bearing stayed inside the axle housing??? Remember, I didn't pull these out, they came like that from the guy I bought the crap from. So you can see why I really need your guys' insight.

 

[Devilfrog]

You sure it was a 9" and not an 8.8?
The 9" has always used a pressed bearing. I've had a retainer failure when I drove my bronco ... Whole axle came right out with the bearing and such saying in the axle, not a good thing.

 

[90xj_zach]

You sure it was a 9" and not an 8.8?
The 9" has always used a pressed bearing. I've had a retainer failure when I drove my bronco ... Whole axle came right out with the bearing and such saying in the axle, not a good thing.

Yea, I've watched so many videos and seen so many pictures of axles in the past 2 days, maybe I am thinking of something else.

I did just get done removing the old bearings/seal on both axle shafts. I honestly don't know if the bearings needed to be replaced, but the seals were toast and therefore everything had to be removed.

....and, I am an idiot, the bearings didn't need to be removed to get rid of the rest of the drum brake assembly, it was just hung up on the axle seal and needed to be punched out with a flathead and hammer. I'm learning my way around the Ford 9, slowly but surely.

 

[90xj_zach]

I went to order new axle bearings for both shafts from O'reilly's but according to the picture it doesn't come with a new bearing? It's what the arrow is pointing to...Devilfrog said that is an axle bearing, but the guys there couldn't find it in their system.

 

[John D]

That's the internal bearing retainer. You can tell them you want a Set 20, it will come with a bearing, seal and retainer. Or if it was my money I would get the bearing I linked earlier -88128 RA, sealed bearing with retainer.

 

[Devilfrog]

I had my numbers wromg the bering was number two not number one ... that's the bearing retainer.

 

[Boss Cherokee]

I went to order new axle bearings for both shafts from O'reilly's but according to the picture it doesn't come with a new bearing? It's what the arrow is pointing to...Devilfrog said that is an axle bearing, but the guys there couldn't find it in their system.

The red arrow is the bearing retainer the other is what's left of the bearing. There is a sealed bearing available depending if you have the big bearing or small but if it came out of a pick/up or full size Bronco chances are it is the big bearing rear end. I've used both but went back to the roller tapered bearing because it sits in oil and just seams stronger. I've used the sealed bearing and still lost seals. Make sure the vent is free and breathing or you will blow seals too. If it;s 28 spline and your going to run bigger than 33's switch to 31 spline or 35. It worth it if your buying a locker carrier. I finally after 22 years on my 9'' I broke a 28 spline axle so I switched to 35 spline, but I crawl I don't race others or try to pass anyone! Brake wise you'll be real happy with the 44 9" combo plenty of braking with 35's or 36's!

 

[90xj_zach]

I had my numbers wromg the bering was number two not number one ... that's the bearing retainer.

I figured that's what happened. Ha, thanks for the clarification though to get us all on the same page.

The red arrow is the bearing retainer the other is what's left of the bearing. There is a sealed bearing available depending if you have the big bearing or small but if it came out of a pick/up or full size Bronco chances are it is the big bearing rear end. I've used both but went back to the roller tapered bearing because it sits in oil and just seams stronger. I've used the sealed bearing and still lost seals. Make sure the vent is free and breathing or you will blow seals too. If it;s 28 spline and your going to run bigger than 33's switch to 31 spline or 35. It worth it if your buying a locker carrier. I finally after 22 years on my 9'' I broke a 28 spline axle so I switched to 35 spline, but I crawl I don't race others or try to pass anyone! Brake wise you'll be real happy with the 44 9" combo plenty of braking with 35's or 36's!

It is indeed a 31 spline set up. I definitely won't be rock racing! As cool as it looks. haha.

 

[90xj_zach]

Came across these for sale near me. Guy says they are Ford flat top knuckles from a 77 (possibly a 3/4 ton, idk because my axle is a 1977 1/2 ton hp44 and I do NOT have flat tops). Would these bolt to my axle?

 

[John D]

You will find numbers cast into them, use this site to identify what you have. There is a TON of good info here. I spent a lot of time on this one when I was building my 44.
http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/flatop_knucles.html

 

[koolaid5]

Any pointers on hooking up the XJ's emergency brake cables to a 9" axle with drum brakes? I'm finishing up my D44/9" swap right now.