[crm318]

I had my 70 GTO on jackstands the other day and noticed that my driver side wheel had a wobble. The brake drum did too. I am currently removing the axles to have them checked for straightness and to put new bearings and seals on. From what I have gathered, it's an O-type 8.5 axle with bolt in, 29.625" shafts with 28 spline. From what I gather, I need SET9 bearings and a 35938 seal. However, I have had a hard time finding replacement axles (if I need them). Does anyone know where I can find good replacement parts / info?

[68droptop]

I just went through this myself. I bought Yukon axles from Summit. You may want to look at Timken sealed bearings from Summit part number RW507CR

['ol Pinion head]

The rear you have is the most common style '71-72 8.5 A-body. the axles take an A9 (set9) tapered axle bearing & 712146 seal... best to use National seals. Behind an auto, footbraked on slicks, the stock bolt-in 8.5 A-body axles are good in a 3800 lb A-body to 11.70's-11.80's. Seldom ever run across wear or damage to that style axle, & have pulled tapered bearing 8.5 axle bearings, seals, & examined splines on close to 400 pair of them. Needing good used axles with new axle bearings seals, new studs, have a good supply. Putting down a lot more power to the ground, have been ordering 30 spline Moser axles & build with a 30 spline carrier.

[crm318]

Thank y'all for the info! I'll get the axles to the machine shop and they will be assessed.

[64speed]

I wouldn’t mind running one of these axles in places of the 9 inch I am gonna end up ordering but just like everything else BOP in this area finding one just ain’t gonna happen. After months of searching I had given up and was gonna buy a 2500 core 455 from Florida and have it shipped here when a member of my car club mentioned that his friend had two unknown Pontiac bare blocks for sale. Figuring they were 350s or 326s or else I thought they be gone a long time ago but turns out they were both 455s his dad had packed with wheel bearing grease and sat in the corner of the garage. Figuring I was about to get raped I told him I’d take them without any negotiation and when he said 300 for both and he’d throw in a set of heads that I didn’t want but my buddy did I snatched his arm off. My buddy gave 150 to me for the heads so I got two 455 blocks for 150 bucks after searching for months. I don’t think I’ll get that lucky again

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

The rear you have is the most common style '71-72 8.5 A-body. the axles take an A9 (set9) tapered axle bearing & 712146 seal... best to use National seals. Behind an auto, footbraked on slicks, the stock bolt-in 8.5 A-body axles are good in a 3800 lb A-body to 11.70's-11.80's. Seldom ever run across wear or damage to that style axle, & have pulled tapered bearing 8.5 axle bearings, seals, & examined splines on close to 400 pair of them. Needing good used axles with new axle bearings seals, new studs, have a good supply. Putting down a lot more power to the ground, have been ordering 30 spline Moser axles & build with a 30 spline carrier.

Sorry, not hijacking. OP seemed to have ??'s resolved, and this was topically relevant.

Good timing. I had a thread going on about gear selection, but some of it concerned other aspects of the 71 Buick 8.5 rear I have. I am going to keep the 3.08 gears for now, but was going to do a posi unit. One issue was if I needed to go 30 spline (need new axles - $$$) or if the 28 spline stockers are ok. 400cid, auto, 255-60's, drag radials are available, no more than 400 gross hp tops. Your words above say the 28 spline stockers should be ok. Yes?

Thanks!

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by 64speed

I wouldn’t mind running one of these axles in places of the 9 inch I am gonna end up ordering but just like everything else BOP in this area finding one just ain’t gonna happen. After months of searching I had given up and was gonna buy a 2500 core 455 from Florida and have it shipped here when a member of my car club mentioned that his friend had two unknown Pontiac bare blocks for sale. Figuring they were 350s or 326s or else I thought they be gone a long time ago but turns out they were both 455s his dad had packed with wheel bearing grease and sat in the corner of the garage. Figuring I was about to get raped I told him I’d take them without any negotiation and when he said 300 for both and he’d throw in a set of heads that I didn’t want but my buddy did I snatched his arm off. My buddy gave 150 to me for the heads so I got two 455 blocks for 150 bucks after searching for months. I don’t think I’ll get that lucky again

Actually, as I was researching parts for my 8.5 A body build, I came across an ebay listing from JDRace. He has one for sale, completely redone for 1900-ish.

I got mine out of a Skylark wagon. Look for mid-size 4 door and wagon "disposable" cars. They come up from time to time.

[54nomore]

Originally Posted by Squidward

Sorry, not hijacking. OP seemed to have ??'s resolved, and this was topically relevant.

Good timing. I had a thread going on about gear selection, but some of it concerned other aspects of the 71 Buick 8.5 rear I have. I am going to keep the 3.08 gears for now, but was going to do a posi unit. One issue was if I needed to go 30 spline (need new axles - $$$) or if the 28 spline stockers are ok. 400cid, auto, 255-60's, drag radials are available, no more than 400 gross hp tops. Your words above say the 28 spline stockers should be ok. Yes?

Thanks!

Stock axles have held up fine in my brother's '71 Skylark for ten years. This is with 2 different 455s and drag radials. Car runs mid to high 12's.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by 54nomore

Stock axles have held up fine in my brother's '71 Skylark for ten years. This is with 2 different 455s and drag radials. Car runs mid to high 12's.

Good data point. On teardown, I'm gonna see what these look like. I might just use them, and go with a 28 spline posi. We'll see.

[HWYSTR455]

Dutchman has the axles too, and their' alloy ones are $300 a pair. You can order them in 28 or 30 spline, same price.

If you need a carrier/posi unit, and plan to buy one, make sure they are offered in 28 if that's what you want. Most performance ones are 30 only.

I would never put slicks on the stock axles, street stickies are even a dice-roll. But Murphy must follow me around, so others may get lucky.

.

[Squidward]

So then here's a question: With all other things being equal, like spline count, where do stock axles stack up in strength to an aftermarket modern alloy axle? At times I hear people trash on cheap metallurgy in today's aftermarket parts, and that the factory steel from back in the day was so much better. Is this a case where newer is better, or no? And of course, I understand the concept of cyclic stress and its contribution to catastrophic fail.

I'd be curious for actual engineering data, like if Moser, Strange, Yukon, et al. can legitimately claim "our modern stock replacement axle is XX.X% stronger than the same style original stock axle".