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64 american pinion preload |
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auag85201
AMC Apprentice Joined: Sep/26/2017 Location: arizona Status: Offline Points: 138 |
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Posted: Apr/09/2018 at 6:00pm |
the pinion on my 64 american has a little in-out play...is there any way to set the preload or tighten it up?...
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19676 |
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You probably can, but unless it's really bad I wouldn't. If it's less than 1/16" just leave it alone. The gears are worn into each other and shouldn't cause a problem. The adjustment is made with shims and requires removing the pinion seal. You can't get a new pinion seal for the "big nut" American rear axle any more, so you don't want to remove it unless you absolutely have to!
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Frank Swygert
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auag85201
AMC Apprentice Joined: Sep/26/2017 Location: arizona Status: Offline Points: 138 |
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thanks frank..thats what i needed to know....rambler sure did some odd things back then,,,lol
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Lyle
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/17/2014 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 772 |
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None of these seals is correct Frank?:
If you know the size OD/ID/W, I have an old cross reference book and can try to find one.
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19676 |
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Nope. Take a look under the car. The seal is stepped to go over the pinion nut. The nut sticks out just a bit from he front of the axle housing, the seal "steps" over the nut and down in size for the pinion shaft. Those seals are for torque tube cars. They had a cone shaped stamped sheet metal holder for the seal inside the tube on the axle end. Only the American had the open drive. The weird seal and the "big nut" tapered thread yoke were made to adapt the torque tube axle pinion and front of the axle housing to the open drive. Obviously the front of the axle housing casting was changed for the American, but the pinion shaft/gear is the same as torque tube axles.
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Frank Swygert
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tomj
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7544 |
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i can attest that none of the seals alleged to fit, according to many suppliers, will fit. all are the WRONG PART. wrong dimensions. the correct part is not available, flat out. maybe Blasers, old NOS, but it will cost you plenty (i paid EIGHTY DOLLARS UNITED STATES for an oil pump pressure relief spring, 7/16" x 2" or so -- but it was NOS and good). and old rubber, even "new" unused, is rarely worth the bother.
if the axle isn't making any horrible noises, keep it filled with fluid and drive it. the 'big nut' business is a huge PITA, but its a very reliable, overbuilt subassembly. |
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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auag85201
AMC Apprentice Joined: Sep/26/2017 Location: arizona Status: Offline Points: 138 |
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tom....sounds like good advise...i'll drive her till she dies ..its not making bad noises yet...
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6PakBee
Supporter of TheAMCForum Charter Member Joined: Jul/01/2007 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 5457 |
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Do you have a photo of the seal? I'm having trouble visualizing what you mean by "steps" over the nut. |
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Roger Gazur
1969 'B' Scheme SC/Rambler 1970 RWB 4-spd Machine 1970 Sonic Silver auto AMX All project cars. Forum Cockroach |
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19676 |
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Photo courtesy Tom Jennings (http://worldpowersystems.com/AMC/1963-Rambler-American/Big-nut/). You can see where the seal fits into the rear axle housing, then reduces in diameter and extends out ("steps over"). The nut that holds the pinion shaft in the housing is under that "step". On the driveshaft rear yoke nut there is a dust shield that covers the seal and protects it. The nut travels on tapered threads that clamp the yoke, which has two slots in it, to the pinion shaft. The dust shield is just crimped on and easily lost. I've had it come loose and "ring" under the car until I cut the darn thing off rather than take the driveshaft out. That was after I tried epoxying in place.. which lasted a couple days. Often the dust shield is missing for this reason. It would be possible to use a later seal in an adapter. The adapter would need to fit in the housing and extend out, then have a flat front and hole for a new seal -- maybe a real short piece of tubing. Would have to be near perfectly centered, and the dust cover would have to be removed. I'm sure you could find a seal for the pinion shaft diameter -- the torque tube six cylinder seal should work. A torque-tube stamped steel seal adapter might be a good start -- it would hold the seal but I'm not sure the cone is steep enough to fit in the end of the axle the right length. I'd still get a piece of tubing that would fit in the axle then epoxy/weld the cone to it. |
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Frank Swygert
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Lyle
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/17/2014 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 772 |
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Now if I had this animal, I'd be thinking a stepped aluminum extension with o-ring seal into the housing, regular seal on the end and an exhaust donut clamp at the differential housing holding the extension in place.
Easy for me to say as I have the lathe and would do the work myself. Just first impressions, but now see why the seal is no longer available. If you google images of "extension oil seal" there are ones for Datsun, Vauxal, Austin's... that are still available. there may be something out there close. I cannot see AMC making a one year custom seal, likely off the shelf from somewhere else. I'm thinking the 59 Austin, but you need dimensions.
Edited by Lyle - Apr/15/2018 at 9:13am |
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