Axle Questions

[nikon4u]

Here is another

[FORDification]

Hmmm...I'm not sure I've seen one with a clip like that before. Of course, I've only been inside a couple 9" rearends before. The 9" under my '67 didn't have clips behind the bearing retainer like that though.

And it almost looks like the bearing on that axle is a bit wider than the other side's.

To have a pic show up without attaching it, the pic has to be online somewhere, either on a personal website's server or one of the free picture hosting website's server. In other words, it's got to have it's own web address (URL).

[nikon4u]

Do you think it would be fine to remove the clip?

[FORDification]

That steel retainer ring should be all that's needed, so I'd have to say yes, the snap-ring shouldn't be necessary. Maybe it was there just as a backup, to keep the retainer from sliding off? Hopefully someone else will chime in with another opinion.

[hardtailjohn]

I can't see what good that clip would do either, Keith. The bearing is held into the end of the housing and the retainer should hold everything in the end of the housing. The bearings are most likely just different brands, but it's hard to tell from a picture. Do the numbers match on the bearings? The other thing I'd do is measure the end of the housing where the bearing sits in, to make sure it's not been messed with. The new lugs on the one axel, and the clip make me wonder and want to look further.
John H.