Rear Axle - 9 1/4
REAR AXLE - 9 1/4DESCRIPTION
The 9 1/4 Inch axle housings consist of a cast iron center section with axle tubes extending from either side. The tubes are pressed into and welded to the differential housing to form a one-piece axle housing (Fig. 1).
The axles have a vent hose to relieve internal pressure caused by lubricant vaporization and internal expansion.
The axles are equipped with semi-floating axle shafts, meaning vehicle loads are supported by the axle shaft and bearings. The axle shafts are retained by C-locks in the differential side gears.
The removable, stamped steel cover provides a means for inspection and service without removing the complete axle from the vehicle.
The axle has a date tag and a gear ratio tag. The tags are attached to the differential housing by a cover bolt.
The rear wheel anti-lock (RWAL) brake speed sensor is attached to the top, forward exterior of the differential housing. A seal is located between the sensor and the wire harness connector. The seal must be in place when the wire connector is connected to the sensor. The RWAL brake exciter ring is press-fitted onto the differential case against the ring gear flange.
The differential case is a one-piece design. The differential pinion mate shaft is retained with a threaded pin. Differential bearing preload and ring gear backlash are set and maintained by threaded adjusters at the outside of the differential housing. Pinion bearing preload is set and maintained by the use of a collapsible spacer.
Axles equipped with a Trac-Lok differential are optional. A Trac-Lok differential has a one-piece differential case, and the same internal components as a standard differential, plus two clutch disc packs.
The axle differential cover can be used for identification of the axle and (Fig. 2). A ratio tag is attached to the differential cover.
OPERATION
The axle receives power from the transmission/ transfer case through the rear propeller shaft. The rear propeller shaft is connected to the pinion gear which rotates the differential through the gear mesh with the ring gear bolted to the differential case. The engine power is transmitted to the axle shafts through the pinion mate and side gears. The side gears are splined to the axle shafts.