Axle Shaft Reinstallation - What is the secret?

I took the axle shaft out of the curb side of the Dana 27 on my 67. For some reason it doesn't want to go back in. I am guessing I am hitting the inner seal and not letting it slide in.

Is there a secret to getting the axle through the inner seal? The FSM says to make sure and not push the inner seal in so I thought I would ask.

Thanks.

 

Whoa! major caps there. Please don't shout.

Sounds like the end of the axleshaft may be catching on the inner axle seal. It should have a "ramp" installed with the seal but there sometimes is still a bit of a lip. You need to try and lift the shaft while sliding it in. A long skinny screwdriver can help with this. Is this an open diff? If a powerlock with 2 piece side gears it's also possible the splines have gotten out of alignment. Hopefull this is not the case as it requires disassembly of the Powerlock to fix.....

 

I pulled the cover and the pumpkin was full to the top of black glop. It was almost a gel. This had migrated throughout the axle to the knuckles and even into the Warn hubs. I have been cleaning it as I go. Not sure if this black glop is a knuckle pudding or blended water and 90W. All the gears and bearings are in great shape.

Anyway with that cleaned out I found that the axle was actually all the way in. It just didn't look or feel like it was far enough. Thanks.