Re: [AMC-List] Rambler rear axle - big nut 15 to later conversion?

[farna@xxxxxxx]

I'm copying this to the AMC-List because someone may have tried it, or have an early and late AMC 15 lying around in pieces and CAN try it.... Listers, please read the earlier messages below for the questions... My answer:


I'm afraid not. Only Ford and some Chrysler axles have a "third member". The front housing (third member) comes out, and that housing holds the differential and pinion shaft and bearings. The rear cover is part of the axle housing, or is stamped/cast as one piece with the center section. GM, AMC, Dana, and some Chrysler axles have a removeable rear cover. The pinion shaft and bearings is part of the cast center section that the axle tubes and rear cover bolt onto. Since the front doesn't come off, the pinion shaft and bearings stay in the housing and the differential and ring gear come out the back. Even if the pinion shafts and bearings are the same on early and late AMC 15 axles you can't just change the pinion gear and shaft. The seal and where the seal mounts is totally different. IIRC the pinion seal on the "big nut" axle seals on the pinion shaft. The later ones seal on the yoke. I don't think the seals will swap. I believe the machining is different on the front of th!
 e housi
ng. I could be wrong -- I'e never tried to swap them. If the bearings are the same for say a 1960 American (all big nut) and a 1968 American six cylinder car (all "standard" yoke), the pinion gear shafts should interchange. I can't guarantee that they will, but there's a very good chance that they do. AMC is known for not changing things unless they had too in order to save money for more important developments. If the bearings match, then you'll have to buy a pinion shaft seal for a 68 and see if it will fit the early model housing. If that fits AND the bearings interchange, you should be able to change the ring and pinion gear, seal, and yoke to a later model. ANY 66-88 rear axle will have the same bearings and seals, and the ring and pinion gears interchange. No one has tried this (I'd try with used parts -- the bearing numbers may be different but still be the same bearings) because there has been plenty of later model Americans to swap axles from. Such is no longer the !
 case. O
n the bright side, the rear axle from a Hornet/Concord/Gremlin/Spirit should be about the right size to swap into a 64-69 American. It's a bit to wide for a 58-63.

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Independent 
Magazine" (AIM)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AIM.html
(free download available!)

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "gary david" <gary03@xxxxxxxxx>
> Frank,
> 
> Hope you're keeping safe over there.
> 
> Another question about the American rear end; Can I keep the rear axles and just 
> replace the third member with one from another American that has the universal 
> fitting, say a '67, '68' or '69? Are there other AMC third members that will 
> interchange, Hornet, Eagle, Gremlin?
> Best regards,
> Gary Davis
> www.nevada-rides.com
> 
> 
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