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I originally came to this excellent website and registered with a question about the 4-wheel drive not working on my 1958 W-200. I since answered my own question and made the repair, and I am certainly no expert, but I thought I would share my recent experience in case it could help someone else in the future.
Scenario: Installed new Warn manual lock-out hubs on the truck because 4-wheel drive was not working. I knew the old hubs weren't locking in. After checking to see if new hubs were locking correctly, discovered that right front wheel would turn but would not turn the drive line or the other wheel (which should turn in the opposite direction with the front end jacked up if everything works correctly). With all 4 wheels off the ground and the truck in gear with 4 wheel drive selected both rear and left front turned, but right front would not. Occasionally the right front wheel would sort of bump forward about 1/64th of a turn.
Problem: Axle shaft was broken just inboard of the u-joint. When I removed the hub, wheel, and outer part of the u-joint housing (retainer, I think it's called), the end of the axle shaft fell out.
Solution: Replaced axle shaft, reinstalled everything, and 4-wheel drive works great.
Points I'd like to share: 1. If you find yourself in this position, one of the trickiest parts for me was removing the inner part of the broken axle shaft. To do so, I took a wire coat-hanger, straightened it out, and made a loop in the middle by bending it around the other piece of the axle shaft. It has to be pretty tight because the opening in the retainer is only 1 1/2 inches wide and the diameter of the shaft is 1 1/8 inches (this is a Dana 44 axle--the 3000lb one, not the 3500lb one). I bent the two ends of the wire out and bent hand holds on the end of it. Then I slid it inside the axle so the loop went around the broken axle shaft. With the hand holds I pulled the loop tight like a garotte and pulled. The broken axle shaft slid right out. 2. Don't bother pulling the cover off of the differential, unless you want to inspect it. It doesn't need to be removed , and it doesn't help, to pull out the axle shaft because there are no snap rings or anything on the differential side.
Feel free to correct me on anything that doesn't jive--I am a novice at this. I did get the truck, which is my snowplow, back in action just in time for the big snowstorm we got last week!
Scenario: Installed new Warn manual lock-out hubs on the truck because 4-wheel drive was not working. I knew the old hubs weren't locking in. After checking to see if new hubs were locking correctly, discovered that right front wheel would turn but would not turn the drive line or the other wheel (which should turn in the opposite direction with the front end jacked up if everything works correctly). With all 4 wheels off the ground and the truck in gear with 4 wheel drive selected both rear and left front turned, but right front would not. Occasionally the right front wheel would sort of bump forward about 1/64th of a turn.
Problem: Axle shaft was broken just inboard of the u-joint. When I removed the hub, wheel, and outer part of the u-joint housing (retainer, I think it's called), the end of the axle shaft fell out.
Solution: Replaced axle shaft, reinstalled everything, and 4-wheel drive works great.
Points I'd like to share: 1. If you find yourself in this position, one of the trickiest parts for me was removing the inner part of the broken axle shaft. To do so, I took a wire coat-hanger, straightened it out, and made a loop in the middle by bending it around the other piece of the axle shaft. It has to be pretty tight because the opening in the retainer is only 1 1/2 inches wide and the diameter of the shaft is 1 1/8 inches (this is a Dana 44 axle--the 3000lb one, not the 3500lb one). I bent the two ends of the wire out and bent hand holds on the end of it. Then I slid it inside the axle so the loop went around the broken axle shaft. With the hand holds I pulled the loop tight like a garotte and pulled. The broken axle shaft slid right out. 2. Don't bother pulling the cover off of the differential, unless you want to inspect it. It doesn't need to be removed , and it doesn't help, to pull out the axle shaft because there are no snap rings or anything on the differential side.
Feel free to correct me on anything that doesn't jive--I am a novice at this. I did get the truck, which is my snowplow, back in action just in time for the big snowstorm we got last week!
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