Rusty pitted balls

Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: Gordonvale Queensland

I have rusty pitted balls.

On the end of my front diff housing that is, not my nads.

I bought a cable locker front diff complete, and on stripping it down one of the swivel hub balls is quite rusty. Is there a way to fix this? maybe sanding, or something else?

or is it time for another diff housing....

Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Location: Albury

the rust itself isnt hard to get rid of, wire brush, lightly polish with sandpaper, wire wheel on grinder somethin like that. If the rust has corroded the steel enough to leave big pits to the point that its going to collect dirt or let stuff inside the hub, then i would look at doing something. bit hard without seeing it

Cheers

Joined: 01 May 2005 Location: Bar Beach 2300

If it's just light surface rust, sand it off LIGHTLY. If it's more intense it may chew the felt seal up.

Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: Gordonvale Queensland

ok, here is a picture of one of my balls..... Very Happy

had a few burbons last night and couldn't remember how to log on to my website to load pictures, but figured it out this morning.

Is it possible to fill the pits with say liquid steel and sand back? Has anyone done anything to fix this sort of problem?

Joined: 20 Oct 2002 Location: Greenbank

flyology wrote:

ok, here is a picture of one of my balls..... Very Happy

had a few burbons last night and couldn't remember how to log on to my website to load pictures, but figured it out this morning.

Is it possible to fill the pits with say liquid steel and sand back? Has anyone done anything to fix this sort of problem?

I wouldnt worry too much most of those pits appear to be on the inside of the wipe area of the seal anyway. The seal on the toyota swivel hub is only a dust seal anyway as you run grease in the swivels not oil So the seal is only designed to keep crap out not oil in. You could use liquid steel if you felt there were bad ones on the wipe area.

Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: Gordonvale Queensland

Thanks Ruff.

Some of the pitting is within the wipe area, but as you said it is more a seal to keep the dust out, rather than anything in.

I think I will give them a bit of a sand so they are nice and smooth, and when putting all back together install a set of the marlin axle seals.

I was brainstorming last night, wondering if it is possible to make a rubber seal/CV boot to cover the exposed area. Would probably need to be a split type CV boot, that could be cable tied together and around the thin part between ball and housing, then bolted to the swivel hub where the dust seals are.....

Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Location: Perth

i took mine off and got them chromed Very Happy

BLING BLING!

Joined: 20 Oct 2002 Location: Greenbank

Z()LTAN wrote:

i took mine off and got them chromed Very Happy

BLING BLING!

I hope its really good Quality Chrome plating as everything i have seen in the past 20 years since some of the practices formally used were outlawed in Australia have been very poor. The chrome lifts and peals off withing no time. Its not something i would have done. I imagine it will start lifting from where you will need to weld these back on within 6 months or so. Chrome plating is not what it used to be here in Australia.

Your also going to need to remove the chrome from where the bearings press into the ball as these are a press fit allready.

Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Location: Perth

yeh it seems a real good job.

Ill have to wait and see how it goes.

Joined: 01 May 2005 Location: Bar Beach 2300

flyology wrote:

ok, here is a picture of one of my balls..... Very Happy

had a few burbons last night and couldn't remember how to log on to my website to load pictures, but figured it out this morning.

Is it possible to fill the pits with say liquid steel and sand back? Has anyone done anything to fix this sort of problem?

There not that bad. You'll be sweet.

Chromed balls, well I'll be. Keep us updated if these peel or flake.

Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Location: Brisbane

what makes the marlin whiper seals so much better?

flyology i remember there was a thread on here a while back about a company that made a boot to cover the ball for mining applications

Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: Gordonvale Queensland

Marlin axle seals, not wiper seals.

check out link below, says it all.................

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=32224.0

Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Location: VIC

What is this liquid steel you speak of? Is it the steel-putty stuff, or something else? Easy to use?

I've got a replacement axle housing which is pitted and worn a little more than yours. I think the wiper will still be ok, but i don't want to have to pull the bastard apart again for a good few years, so if i could smooth out the ball it would be comforting.