Mossberg Posted June 26, 2022 Share Posted June 26, 2022 I am sure I have seen a thread on here describing with good instructions and photos, how to swap a front axle. Unfortunately I can't find it now, so can anyone point me in the right direction please. I am just going out to make a stand to support the front of the truck and thought I would just run through it again 🙃 Many thanks if you can help. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted June 26, 2022 Share Posted June 26, 2022 25 minutes ago, Mossberg said: I am sure I have seen a thread on here describing with good instructions and photos, how to swap a front axle. Unfortunately I can't find it now, so can anyone point me in the right direction please. I am just going out to make a stand to support the front of the truck and thought I would just run through it again 🙃 Many thanks if you can help. Mick I would support it under the chassis rails just in front of the bulkhead outriggers, then with everything loosened off/removed you could wheel the front axle out so you can swap everything over without being laid under the vehicle, build your axle up then wheel it back in, this is what I did when removing my axles for mog project as you can see in the photo, everything still attached regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted June 26, 2022 Share Posted June 26, 2022 These are some old photos of when I replaced my front axle for a nice new one (NOS crated). A pair of axle-stands supporting the chassis and it was fine. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted June 26, 2022 Author Share Posted June 26, 2022 1 hour ago, Litch said: These are some old photos of when I replaced my front axle for a nice new one (NOS crated). A pair of axle-stands supporting the chassis and it was fine. Â Â Is that with the engine in Litch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted June 26, 2022 Share Posted June 26, 2022 Will be fine with the engine in, I recently changed a 110 Td5 front axle and left the engine insitu regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 26, 2022 Share Posted June 26, 2022 I swapped my old 90 to a 3 link front like that - axle stands and everything came out. All the drive train still in.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 Yes, engine in. It was done in a day, just remove the old axle and roll the new one into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted July 12, 2022 Author Share Posted July 12, 2022 Thanks folks. Job now done. Took me more than a day but then I think I am the slowest man in the world when it comes to thus stuff - but then I do tend to do those bits that take time to complete! As I was swapping the axle case I I also had to do the hockey sticks as the new case was from a 300tdi. I cleaned up the spring mounts including brushing/sanding, phosphoric acid rust conversion, then painted with red oxide and a black top coat. Finally brushed with Lanoguard grease. I cleaned the springs using electrolysis, then red oxide and a black top coat. Fitted new galv shock towers, spring seats and shocks. The replacement hockey sticks had already had electrolysis cleaning, painting and new oem bushes. The axle case had already been reconditioned before I bought it. It was £100 and I was happy with that as it saved me restoring another (I have already restored an axle case for the rear so know the work involved doing that). As I was keeping the rest of the axle gear, I decided to remove the hubs c/w swivels - Jeez it's a heavy lump when you have a shoulder injury! (I had already drained the diff, disconnected steering bars and panhard rod and axle was on two jacks). I removed both hockey sticks (which came off with less effort than expected), split the prop from the diff and lowered the axle. I had a panhard rod that someone gave me and that had what looked like new poly polybushes in it, so a dose of electrolysis and painting and it was ready to fit. I removed the diff from the old axle, used my untrained eye to inspect it, wire brushed the outside, phosphoric acid treatment and then painted. For re fitting I added the diff and one hockey stick. This allowed me put the axle on a trolley and use the hockey stick to push the axle into position whilst steering it a bit. I only fitted the one as I didn't want too much weight trying to pull the axle over and this also allowed me to push the axle in from one side whilst avoiding axle stands under the chassis. I raised the axle for fitting in the same way I lowered it using two jacks and it went back a lot easier than I expected. The only issue I have is when I assembled everything the shocks seemed to be pointing forward. I panicked as I thought I must have bought the wrong hockey sticks. I measured them and they are the same as my old ones so could not be that. I tightened the bushes to the chassis and they will only go so far before they bottom out, so again it couldn't be that. I think it is just my inexperience and lack mechanicing expertise throwing doubt at me. Everything tightened up OK but 192nm is a lot with a bad shoulder. Most were OK to do but the two bolts on the hockey sticks that to the rear were difficult. There is so little room under the truck that I could not use my bodyweight so all the strain was through the shoulder and it really wasn't pleasant! However, finally I got the click from the torque wrench so all good. So I just need to sort the breather and take it for a trip. The axle just had a plain hole so I tapped it 1/4bsp and I just need to get a push in fitting to screw in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 The shocks will lean forward with no weight on them, once all settled & vehicle sat on the ground the shocks will sit correctly, well done on a big job. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve200TDi Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 A few pictures here, when I did mine. I opted to put load bearing axle stands at the front of the chassis and slot in the blue ones under the chassis just for safety. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean f Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 17 minutes ago, steve200TDi said: A few pictures here, when I did mine. I opted to put load bearing axle stands at the front of the chassis and slot in the blue ones under the chassis just for safety. Steve Just putting HSE head on, this is a good plan, provided you can get them in at least during the time the vehicle is unattended, you never know who might decided to lean or climb on the vehicle. I have changed a front axle this way in the past, anyone considering the job make sure the axle stands are up to it and wide enough to be stable, in the earlier picture you can see they are on one of the higher extension holes, ideally a bigger stand could have been used but we have to work with what we have. Also make sure they are on something solid, a good concrete drive way is fine, mine ended up sinking into the tarmac drive way until I put heavy steel plates under them. Getting the axle off and back on will require a bit of pushing and shoving and if things slip its not going to end well, there is a lot of weight held up quite high. No one really likes to think about safety but its better than hearing about people loosing body parts, plenty of stories about near disasters and accidents on here from certain members which should act as warnings, they can end up amusing if the level of injury is low but sometimes they could easily have been serious to the point of death if it had gone slightly different. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 6 hours ago, sean f said: Just putting HSE head on, this is a good plan, provided you can get them in at least during the time the vehicle is unattended, you never know who might decided to lean or climb on the vehicle. I have changed a front axle this way in the past, anyone considering the job make sure the axle stands are up to it and wide enough to be stable, in the earlier picture you can see they are on one of the higher extension holes, ideally a bigger stand could have been used but we have to work with what we have. Also make sure they are on something solid, a good concrete drive way is fine, mine ended up sinking into the tarmac drive way until I put heavy steel plates under them. Getting the axle off and back on will require a bit of pushing and shoving and if things slip its not going to end well, there is a lot of weight held up quite high. No one really likes to think about safety but its better than hearing about people loosing body parts, plenty of stories about near disasters and accidents on here from certain members which should act as warnings, they can end up amusing if the level of injury is low but sometimes they could easily have been serious to the point of death if it had gone slightly different. I positioned the axle stands similar to litch. They sat inside the bracket for the gearbox cross member so there was no way they could slide. When it was on the stands I tried pushing the truck over and was happy it wasn't going to move. I had also put some kerb stones under the front as a just in case! These were not quite high enough but it meant if the truck did fall it wasn't by far. I also didn't go under the truck until the axle was ready to support the weight, and even then I didn't go fully under until the axle stands were under and supporting the axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted August 13, 2022 Author Share Posted August 13, 2022 Well after changing the axle case I didn't get to drive it until the other day. Before the axle case swap the steering wheel was roughly central, but now it seems to be a bit off centre clockwise. So the question is, would you expect a slight deviation from what it was before when doing an axle case swap? I also changed the hockey sticks as it went from the thinner version to the slightly wider 300tdi version. I changed the panhard rod and that had far newer bushes than the old one. Also changed the shock turrets and dampers. If it isn't expected, what should I be looking for? If it is expected, I presume its just adjusting the drag link? As always your advice and experience is greatly received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 After that lot I think I'd be wondering what was wrong if the steering wheel still aligned. Though note comments in the manual about tightening bolts with the vehicle on the ground after it has settled. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted August 13, 2022 Author Share Posted August 13, 2022 Thanks cackshifter, I really appreciate the help of you folks. It gives us the confidence to attempt things we wouldn't without knowing knowledge is at hand. I tightened everything once the truck was either on the ground or axles on stands, so hopefully all good. I will apply some thread penetrant in preparation for adjusting the drag link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean f Posted August 14, 2022 Share Posted August 14, 2022 If the ride height has changed at all the steering wheel alignment will also change and after doing that amount of work as cackshift has said something is bound to be slightly differently aligned somewhwhere, maybe worth driving it a bit and then rechecking all the bolt torques to let things settle in before adjusting it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossberg Posted August 14, 2022 Author Share Posted August 14, 2022 3 hours ago, sean f said: If the ride height has changed at all the steering wheel alignment will also change and after doing that amount of work as cackshift has said something is bound to be slightly differently aligned somewhwhere, maybe worth driving it a bit and then rechecking all the bolt torques to let things settle in before adjusting it though. Thanks Sean, I'll do that. I might just start putting Plusgas on the relevant areas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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