Crusty front axle tubes - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

ky-donzi · 11-22-2021, 12:41 PM

I’m currently rebuilding my entire front axle (saving the gears set) on my k5. The axle tubes inside resemble sunken titanic phones. I would guess it is mud that turned to rust over the years.

I know grease doesn’t reside in these tubes like the rear axle but I can’t bring myself to put it back together like that. I think up I may buy a cylinder home brush the same diameter and hone them out anyone have any ideas before I do?

Thanks

**hatzie** · 11-22-2021, 12:55 PM

Talk to a cemetery monument engraver.
I've gotten large pieces like axles sandblasted by one of those guys.

ky-donzi · 11-22-2021, 02:04 PM

oh hey that is a great idea, i happen to live 2 blocks from a monument company

halfgassed · 12-07-2021, 05:27 PM

Find a round toilet bowl brush with a straight handle with a hole in the end, bend a 3’ish long piece of all thread around the handle and duck tape the all thread to the handle, chuck the other end in your cordless drill. I usually have a bucket of degreaser next to the axle I dip the brush into. Dip your brush, stuff it in the tube, turn your drill on and run that in an out of you axle tubes. Works great,makes a mess but works great

LT7A · 12-07-2021, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfgassed

Find a round toilet bowl brush with a straight handle with a hole in the end, bend a 3’ish long piece of all thread around the handle and duck tape the all thread to the handle, chuck the other end in your cordless drill. I usually have a bucket of degreaser next to the axle I dip the brush into. Dip your brush, stuff it in the tube, turn your drill on and run that in an out of you axle tubes. Works great,makes a mess but works great

Clever! That sounds like a good plan.

ky-donzi · 12-07-2021, 09:25 PM

That’s a pretty smart idea too. I ended up getting lucky, a found a drill cup brush that was about an 1” larger diameter than the tube. I started on the inside with the cup brush an (2) 12” drill extensions and drug the brush from the center section to the outer knuckles. Got almost a coffee can full of trash out of them....nasty

BASE · 12-09-2021, 09:57 PM

I found a wire brush with a long handle that I think is made for cleaning ducts or something. It’s just the perfect size for a D44 and also worked in my 14 bolt. I don’t recall where I found it now but it doesn’t seem like it was very expensive.

The drill brush was actually plan A but none of mine fit well at all.

11-22-2021, 12:41 PM	#1
ky-donzi Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: madisonville ky Posts: 313	Crusty front axle tubes I’m currently rebuilding my entire front axle (saving the gears set) on my k5. The axle tubes inside resemble sunken titanic phones. I would guess it is mud that turned to rust over the years. I know grease doesn’t reside in these tubes like the rear axle but I can’t bring myself to put it back together like that. I think up I may buy a cylinder home brush the same diameter and hone them out anyone have any ideas before I do? Thanks __________________ 61 GMC 4x4 1-ton flatbed 4bt cummins, ranger od, sm465, np 205, d60F, d70R 4.11 10,000 ramsey PTO winch.... SOLD 73 k5 gm crate 350-265 / sm465 / np205 3.73 posi

11-22-2021, 12:55 PM	#2
hatzie Moderator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wentworth, NH Posts: 5,020	Re: Crusty front axle tubes Talk to a cemetery monument engraver. I've gotten large pieces like axles sandblasted by one of those guys. __________________ 1959 M35A2 LDT465-1D SOLD 1967 Dodge W200 B383, NP420/NP201 SOLD 1969 Dodge Polara 500 B383, A833 SOLD 1972 Ford F250 FE390, NP435/NP205 SOLD 1976 Chevy K20, 6.5L, NV4500/NP208 SOLD 1986 M1008 CUCV SOLD 2000 GMC C2500, TD6.5L, NV4500 2005 Chevy Silverado LS 2500HD 6.0L 4L80E/NP263 2009 Impala SS LS4 V8 RTFM... GM Parts Books, GM Schematics, GM service manuals, and GM training materials... 1973-1991 GM Light Truck Service, Unit/Overhaul, Wiring Manuals, Parts Books and Some 1968-1999 GM Service Training textbooks in PDF 1988-1998 GMT400 CK service manual project 1988-1993 GMT400 CK parts books. 1967-1972 GM Light, Medium, & Heavy Truck Service Manuals in PDF Please include at least the year and model in your threads. It'll be easier to answer your questions. And please let us know if and how your repairs were successful.

11-22-2021, 02:04 PM	#3
ky-donzi Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: madisonville ky Posts: 313	Re: Crusty front axle tubes oh hey that is a great idea, i happen to live 2 blocks from a monument company __________________ 61 GMC 4x4 1-ton flatbed 4bt cummins, ranger od, sm465, np 205, d60F, d70R 4.11 10,000 ramsey PTO winch.... SOLD 73 k5 gm crate 350-265 / sm465 / np205 3.73 posi

12-07-2021, 05:27 PM	#4
halfgassed Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: marquette mi Posts: 28	Re: Crusty front axle tubes Find a round toilet bowl brush with a straight handle with a hole in the end, bend a 3’ish long piece of all thread around the handle and duck tape the all thread to the handle, chuck the other end in your cordless drill. I usually have a bucket of degreaser next to the axle I dip the brush into. Dip your brush, stuff it in the tube, turn your drill on and run that in an out of you axle tubes. Works great,makes a mess but works great

12-07-2021, 09:25 PM	#6
ky-donzi Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: madisonville ky Posts: 313	Re: Crusty front axle tubes That’s a pretty smart idea too. I ended up getting lucky, a found a drill cup brush that was about an 1” larger diameter than the tube. I started on the inside with the cup brush an (2) 12” drill extensions and drug the brush from the center section to the outer knuckles. Got almost a coffee can full of trash out of them....nasty __________________ 61 GMC 4x4 1-ton flatbed 4bt cummins, ranger od, sm465, np 205, d60F, d70R 4.11 10,000 ramsey PTO winch.... SOLD 73 k5 gm crate 350-265 / sm465 / np205 3.73 posi

12-09-2021, 09:57 PM	#7
BASE Registered User Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: St Louis, MO Posts: 194	Re: Crusty front axle tubes I found a wire brush with a long handle that I think is made for cleaning ducts or something. It’s just the perfect size for a D44 and also worked in my 14 bolt. I don’t recall where I found it now but it doesn’t seem like it was very expensive. The drill brush was actually plan A but none of mine fit well at all. Attached Images

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