Help!!!

[Chrishd]

Ok. I screwed up!! Anyways... I need to build a jig of some sort to fix a spindle on a rear axle... The inner bearing blew up n damaged the axle tube... I need to either build it up n machine it or replace the spindle. But getting it all square is always the criticle part.

[Frank S]

you sound like you may have access to a lathe and a welder if so I have started drawing up a relatively simple grinding jig that will mount to the spindle you will have to finish the actual size to fit your spindle It may take me a day or so to finish drawing it up though

[Chrishd]

that would be great thanks I have an idea for a jig as well but cant seem to put it on paper to see it first...

[Frank S]

OK here is a start for you to think about
this tool would only do the inner race area in the current configuration but you could have a nice little belt sander when finished LOL
to start off you would want to protect the seal surface area from any possible weld splatter and obviously the outer bering surface and thread areas.
the whole assembly would slide over the spindle then use the outer nut just tight enough to hold it in place you would rotate everything around the spindle adjusting the depth of cut as needed until the spindle was repaired and ground to the correct diameter you would be able to use a micrometer to check the diameter without removing the tool hopefully.

I didn't add in any dimensional specs since you will be constructing this yourself

I believe you should be able to see most of the parts involved. It is a bit more of a complicated build than a simple jig but if done this way y9ou will have a guarantee that your spindle is fully concentric you will just have to be careful not to dilly dally around while grinding otherwise flat spots will develop

the size of the belt I have drawn in could be a standard 3or4x24" belt ripped to 1 " wide that way you can buy them almost anywhere and you would get 3or4 for 1
years ago I made up something similar to repair the end of a hydraulic cylinder rod so I know the idea has been tested to work.
with just a little more complicating of the build the seal area as well as the outer spindle area can be repaired in a similar fashion making a single point attachment to re-thread the spindle really adds to the complexity of a build but I once started top design a portable rotary lathe to do something like this for Large hydraulic cylinders

[nixrox]

What is the make, model and year of your vehicle?

I have found that it is far easier to go to pick-n-Pull and get a whole rear differential. Then you can rebuild it at your leisure on an axle stand, while sitting comfortably on your swivel chair. This is far easier than laying on your back, or crawling around on the floor under the vehicle trying to fix it in situ.

[Frank S]

of course then there are those times when you absolutely must do this because no banjo housings with the same mounts are available.
the houshing had been patched at several times in the past

it even had bondo on it if you can believe that
but never had whoever who had tried to repair the cracks had even bothered to check it for straightness

After I had it all gouged out and cleaned up I had to heat it and pull it back straight in 2 directions,

then everything had to be held in place to weld it up

Cheaper to get another? possibly! but not at the expense of having to wait weeks to find one. I had the guy back on the road over the weekend.

[nixrox]

I would only go through this kind of effort if this particular part was the last one on the planet.

What vehicle has this type of differential housing?
I also did not mean that it would be cheaper or faster - just a whole lot easier.
Plus you could modify it by reinforcing the potential weak areas while it is sitting on the axle stand in front of you.

[Frank S]

That housing was the front differential of a 96 Peterbilt with the Pete lowleaf air suspension and for some unknown reason 1 1/2 inch wider than 20 other housings of the same differential model numbers he had looked at Yes he could have changed it out by changing both of them. a lot of work to do that. as well.
When the OP asked for help about repairing an inner bearing location I figured he had a reason.
In my experience most of the wheel bearings that go out it is the outer one that goes first because it is smaller and the oil level in the hub doesn't always bathe them. especially if the level in the rear end is low as well because then not much oil will wick along the axle shaft.
Back when I had my mobile shop I repaired a lot of spindles on trucks and trailers sometimes they were so bad that it was easier to just cut them off and machine new ones then weld the new one back on.
Still easier than having to try and pull one of these off

[nixrox]

I knew there had to be a reason why and either scarcity or extreme difficulty are usually the reasons. I did not realize that there were people on this web site dealing with heavy equipment that large. When large equipment ages to the extent that you are experiencing these kinds of failures, it is usually time to do a cost benefit analysis. Then it becomes clear whether it would be cheaper to replace or to continue repairing. At some predetermined amount you inevitably reach that cross over point.

In the aviation industry, I was continuously faced with those issues when we were flying old DC8 aircraft. Some parts were so scarce it was almost impossible to find them and when we did, they were often in worse shape than the one we had.

Good luck with this project.

[Frank S]

Correct you are, I am really hoping that the OP will chime in soon and possibly share a picture of the carnage he is having to deal with it would have helped me to determine a more reasonable coarse of action. I have in the past had to just weld up the locations then hand grind and file then use crocus cloth to finish up the surfaces once I even had to cut new threads in one using a file and a thread chaser. while the owner of the truck held a drop light and an umbrella for me while I worked. When your sitting on the side of the road with a 15 axle rig under load out in the middle of nowhere you only have 1 option, that is to repair in place. cost or difficulty are two factors that are never entered into the equation. I've even welded broken axle shafts back together when the situation was dire enough to warrant doing so.