Maximum play in rear axle

[rainout]

Hi.

I have been, for quite some time. scanning many post’s on this site and by doing so gaining knowledge in the MM world.
Firstly I would like to express my appreciation to all those who post and especially the moderators that maintain and run the site.
My project is a 1954 series 2 that I have purchased in bits but with the body restored so I have the easy bits to do, in slow motion.
Anyway my fist post is reference the rear axle assembly.
Having removed, cleaned and painted it I am going to replace the seals both on the hubs and on the diff but before fitting it to the car again I would like to know if there is excessive play.
How many degrees maximum should I expect to turn the diff before the hubs start turning.
Or is there some other measurement that can be made to determine if the amount of slack is acceptable.

Thanks.

Rainout.

[bmcecosse]

Welcome aboard - and good luck with the resto! The free play can be quite a bit - but I wouldn't worry about it. If you have the time then open up the diff and inspect the various gears - any obvious pitting/crazing on the main helical final drive gears - and pull the half shafts to check for obvious twisting on the splines. Make sure they go back in the side they came out of!

[rainout]

OK thanks.

I have plenty of time I was intending to remove the diff for inspection, so will give it a good butchers.
I noticed that when I carried the axle from the garage via kitchen to garden for cleaning, it was leaking oil out of the hub, fortunately the Boss was away so no damage done, hence replacing oil seals.

Cheers

[bigginger]

Don't forget that you'll need new brake shoes, then
a

[DaveC]

You may find that the surface of the axle stub has scored where the seals run. I usually (rightly or wrongly) remove the scores with some 600, and then polish up with some 1200 wet and dry paper. I have found that to just replace the seals without doing this doesn't always permanently cure the problem. Some folks move the seals but I have never been successful doing this
Cheers
Dave

[rainout]

Fortunately since its in varying degrees of bits no brake shoes were fitted in fact the only thing thet was inside the drum was some black plastic that looked as though it had been placed there by a mouse!!!

[rainout]

Forgive my ignorance Dave but I'm not sure but not sure what you mean by the axle stub,would that be were the oil seal makes contact with the axle?
Not dismantled it yet so I will probably see what you mean once the half shaft is removed.
Thanks

[DaveC]

oil seal makes contact with the axle

Yes you are correct. The score usually appears on the underside, and the smallest score line defeats the seal after a couple of months (in my experience anyway )
Dave

[rainout]

Ok thanks for that.

[RogerRust]

inside the drum was some black plastic that looked as though it had been placed there by a mouse!!!

You'll need to find the mouse In my experience it is a major cause of squeaks!

[Willie]

You will find quite a bit of play from turning the pinion flange to hub movement unless you are very lucky. The play between the pinion gear and the crown wheel is in the 5 thou" area but you then have the play in the planet wheels which can be quite substantial due to wear on the thrust washers ( inevitable since an ingredient in the EP axle oil actually attacks these washers). If you have excessive wear in this area then it shows up as an increase in diff noise when cornering.

[MoggyTech]

Typical prop shaft play is 10mm rotational with a good diff.