Spider Axles

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

     For rebuilding Alfa rear axles changing the outer axle / wheel bearings and seals is relatively easy.  Hopefully, that is all that you need to do to your rear end.
     The shop manuals explain how to rebuild the center section of the rear axle.  However, it has all sorts of funky Alfa tools to do it.  The one that got me was the plumb bob / weight on a string used to measure bearing preload (or something) by the time it took gravity to unwind the string from the pinion flange.
     The problem is that you have to assemble the left side axle to get the ring and pinion set.  There is no way to adjust / shim bearing preload and pinion to ring contact patch without taking the left axle off again.  Plus the trick of running carbon paper between the ring and pinion to observe the contact patch does not work.  You can use grease / machinists blue or similar compounds, but again you have to take the left axle tube off again.
     So, yes, the rear axle can be rebuilt.  However, the local Alfa mechanic feels that there are too many good rear ends still out there for him to take his time to rebuild one!

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City


Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 11:28:35 -0500
From: tony martie <tony@domain.elided>
Subject: Re: Spider Axles

With all this talk of axles and gear ratios I would like to ask if 
anyone rebuilds them?  Since I have replaced mine once and need to 
again(!), and it would seem that I am not alone, is there an alternative 
to buying used rear ends in hopes of finding a good one.
Come on, somebody has got to know how to fix them...
anyone.  anyone?


Tony Martie
78 Spider (crunchy)
71 Spider (needs a new home)
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