Axle Tools

[CE20934]

I need to do the brakes on my 67 C20. The fronts are easy, but the rears, well, those of you who have dealt with full-floaters know where I'm going.

Anyway, I need either the actual GM axle locknut tool (J-2222) or a reasonable facsimile. Where can I find such a tool at a decent price (the local Chevy dealership wanted $150 for the tool).

While I'm at it, I might as well look at the bearings. My '67 shop manual lists a way to get the inner bearing out, but for the outer, I need another special tool (J-2230). The local Chevy dealership had no clue what I was talking about (showed them the picture too). They said I could just use the axle retaining bolts to drive it out. Sounds sketchy to me. Anyone know of a similar tool or a good shadetree way of getting that thing out?

------------------
67 C20 '78 400sb 0.030" over, 9:1 cr, CC Xtreme 4x4 254H, port-matched '69 882 heads & stock cast iron intake, rebuilt Q-jet, Summit headers (1 5/8" primaries), true dual 2 1/2" glasspacked exhaust, NP435CR trans, 4.57 Eaton rear end.
It's a decent-looking work truck. No top-end, but it's great off the line.

[MJN]

Well, I used a punch to turn the lock nut on the spindle since it has little grooves in it for the special tool. The bearings, you shouldn't need to remove the cup but the cone ( has the rollers on it) should have signs of wear on it. If you really want to get them out then use a brass drift and carefully pound around the edge of the cup until it pops out of the drum. Hope this helps.

[CE20934]

Well, the punch idea sounds good. How to I go about retorquing the nuts properly? This being an Eaton, the specs are 55 ftlbs for the inner nut, 175 ftlbs for the outer. That's not a typo. 175 folks.

The brass drift sounds good too. Must be past my bedtime for me not to realize what a punch and/or a brass drift can do. The drift shouldn't mushroom too much with the pounding. It'd be a ***** to get out of the hub/drum assembly if it did.

------------------
67 C20 '78 400sb 0.030" over, 9:1 cr, CC Xtreme 4x4 254H, port-matched '69 882 heads & stock cast iron intake, rebuilt Q-jet, Summit headers (1 5/8" primaries), true dual 2 1/2" glasspacked exhaust, NP435CR trans, 4.57 Eaton rear end.
It's a decent-looking work truck. No top-end, but it's great off the line.

[O'l Buck]

I've never been into one of those, but lots of semi truck rearends and I will get my chance at a 67 K-20 as I just found out I'm gonna inherit one. On the trucks, we just tighten the inner nut until it is solid, absolutely no movement of the drum, then back it off till the drum turns nice. The outer is a jamb nut, tighten pretty tight, never used a torque wrench. You might check Napa or another parts house that has tools for the spanner wrench you need, they will likely be alot cheaper than GM.

------------------
Ol' Buck: '72 Chevy 1/2T 4x4 shortbox stepside 350/350auto on '84
ralleys and 31/10.5s

Angel girl: 67 Cutlass convertible
330, 3spd stick

Greener: 90 GMC Jimmy
350/auto
Chad Stephens
Orleans,NE

no name yet: 72 442 under serious construction

[CE20934]

I just pulled the axles. I'll probably be able to get a spanner wrench on the outer nut (so long as it has square ends), but the inner nut's going to be iffy.

Off to the local parts store I go. They know me all too well down there.

------------------
67 C20 '78 400sb 0.030" over, 9:1 cr, CC Xtreme 4x4 254H, port-matched '69 882 heads & stock cast iron intake, rebuilt Q-jet, Summit headers (1 5/8" primaries), true dual 2 1/2" glasspacked exhaust, NP435CR trans, 4.57 Eaton rear end.
It's a decent-looking work truck. No top-end, but it's great off the line.

'69 International Loadstar 1700 school bus converted to an RV. Working p/s (only took three years and three owners to replace the belt & a pressure line), low-compression 345 (176 certified net hp @ 3800rpm), single 3" exhaust w/custom cherry bomb muffler, NP435 trans, two-speed Eaton rear end, very warm & rodent-free heaters.

[Fast68Chevy]

CE20934-
personally I wouldnt get into the axle like that unless it really really needed to be gotten into, these eaton axles have very few parts available, and arent the most hard wearing, they like to wear out and chew bearings, dont even know that you can get new bearings anymore for them. If so then that is one of the very few parts you can get, you cant get carriers, cant get gears, etc etc, 72 wa slast year for these axles, not a popular axle, are common and std equipment, but are not popular. I owuldnt spend much on the axle, if it needs alot spent on it then i owuld really check into finding a dana 60 or 14 bolt FF, they dont have the problems these eatons do. several on this board have gone experienced their own troubles with the eatons,
i owuld just do the brakes and leave it all alone unless there are symptoms, save yourself trouble and $$
and i know there are those of us who have never had problems with their eaton 3/4 and 1 ton axles, but i have personally seen them come apart and found several that were shot, pinion gears sloppy due to trashed bearings, have never seen that happen to a 60 or a 14 FF, have seen it happen to a few 12 bolts however, but then the truck 12 bolts have a tiny pinion stem diameter and bearing size, so thats a fault in its own design. Car ones are larger 1.625" stem

just my $.02, just disregard if that all doesnt apply to your case

oh and local napa here calls me nickname of cool, i dont know why, i guess cuz i used to say the word cool alot, theyre starting to usem y real name nowadays, im in there like everyday at least a few times, i might as well live there

good luck !

------------------
Randy- Lincoln, IL
r68c30@hotmail.com
-71 C-10 350/CH465/3.07
-84 Z28 Camaro 5.0L 700R4, 3.73
-84 Firebird SE 2.8L T-5
-82 Firebird 350 4bolt (TBL)/TH350
buy/sell/hoard/trade most any GM vehicle parts of any kind
-parting out: '81 Cutlass Supreme Brougham
*Paint is overrated
© RSS Enterprises 2000

[CE20934]

The local parts store has the hub seals in stock and can get the bearings if I really need them. I doubt I will. Haven't had a problem yet.

I just want to take it apart for the experience. Do I want to upgrade to a Dana 60 or a Corp 14-bolt? Maybe. The Eaton's still kicking, leaks a bit of oil from the pinion seal, but the pinions shaft is still tight. I'm not sure how a Corp 14-bolt would bolt up to my trailing arms, but I know Dana 60s came on 67-72 C20s, so they should bolt in w/o a problem.

Worst comes to worst I have to swap rear ends. So I'll have to drive the bus to work. It needs exercise anyway.

------------------
67 C20 '78 400sb 0.030" over, 9:1 cr, CC Xtreme 4x4 254H, port-matched '69 882 heads & stock cast iron intake, rebuilt Q-jet, Summit headers (1 5/8" primaries), true dual 2 1/2" glasspacked exhaust, NP435CR trans, 4.57 Eaton rear end.
It's a decent-looking work truck. No top-end, but it's great off the line.

'69 International Loadstar 1700 school bus converted to an RV. Working p/s (only took three years and three owners to replace the belt & a pressure line), low-compression 345 (176 certified net hp @ 3800rpm), single 3" exhaust w/custom cherry bomb muffler, NP435 trans, two-speed Eaton rear end, very warm & rodent-free heaters.

[Mike C]

Autozone has free loaner tools and I'm pretty sure Northernautoparts.com will have the axle nut socket.

------------------
70 GMC 3/4 ton Sierra Grande 402/TH400
72 Jimmy 4WD 4spd 4" & 35's
64 Corvette Coupe
68 Camaro 'vert TPI & TH700
69 Z/28 355 12.6's @110
72 Datsun 240Z-ol' reliable

[CE20934]

Autozone has 4WD sockets for hex nuts. I have a round nut w/six slots in the face. Northernautoparts.com had the same sockets as Autozone.

I used to have a Snap-On catalog lying around here somewhere. I could've sworn I saw the socket in there.

------------------
67 C20 '78 400sb 0.030" over, 9:1 cr, CC Xtreme 4x4 254H, port-matched '69 882 heads & stock cast iron intake, rebuilt Q-jet, Summit headers (1 5/8" primaries), true dual 2 1/2" glasspacked exhaust, NP435CR trans, 4.57 Eaton rear end.
It's a decent-looking work truck. No top-end, but it's great off the line.

'69 International Loadstar 1700 school bus converted to an RV. Working p/s (only took three years and three owners to replace the belt & a pressure line), low-compression 345 (176 certified net hp @ 3800rpm), single 3" exhaust w/custom cherry bomb muffler, NP435 trans, two-speed Eaton rear end, very warm & rodent-free heaters.

[CE20934]

Found the socket! I did see it in the Snap-on catalog (p/n ANS1929). $53. Forget that. Matco (AN1929) sells it for $33. It's not Craftsman prices, but it sure beats $53 w/an oddball warranty.

Once the socket comes, I can do my brakes. Bearings should be fine. If not, such is life.

------------------
67 C20 '78 400sb 0.030" over, 9:1 cr, CC Xtreme 4x4 254H, port-matched '69 882 heads & stock cast iron intake, rebuilt Q-jet, Summit headers (1 5/8" primaries), true dual 2 1/2" glasspacked exhaust, NP435CR trans, 4.57 Eaton rear end.
It's a decent-looking work truck. No top-end, but it's great off the line.

'69 International Loadstar 1700 school bus converted to an RV. Working p/s (only took three years and three owners to replace the belt & a pressure line), low-compression 345 (176 certified net hp @ 3800rpm), single 3" exhaust w/custom cherry bomb muffler, NP435 trans, two-speed Eaton rear end, very warm & rodent-free heaters.