[BFix] Axle length

[philmoulton at comcast.net]

This may sound like a foolish question but as most of you know I tend to run into these from time-time

I have a "stock" ford 9 inch rear end it was originally the stock rear end on my 1970 Bronco.
It has had some work on it since but it is the same tubes and housing.
Taking my bronco out in the snow earlier this year- found that I have no drive in the passenger side wheel
Felt it was the Detroit- took it out checked it over well - found no faults. Now both axles are Dutchman's and in 1998 per the receipt I am looking at they are two different lengths  27 1/4 and 29 5/8.
I have always felt that there were two different length axles and I even have two different length spares- They both fit in the same and feel the same when being inserted.
As I had the rear end apart I scored a great deal on a ARB so after a bit had it installed in the carrier and Saturday I installed the carrier.
Great- installed the Drivers side - (long side) no problem rotates the yoke and all looks good. (Drive line is not on yet)
Installed Passenger side- no problem felt it going in just fine. but guess what --- NO rotating of axle.. it free wheels.
Getting a tad pissed I insert the spare "long" axle... IT works it fits and rotates the yoke..

Now I can blame my stoke I had a year ago on my fuzzy memory- or I can blame it on old age. But I would think that sometime over the last 10 years I checked and yes the passenger side rear wheel did rotate under power.

Are there differences now that there is a ARB in the housing and not the Detroit ?
Did I put the long side into the Drivers side and that's the short side ?
and it still it fits- if so is it ok to fit into the ARB that deeply ?
Have I been running with one axle to short and I never knew it did not rotate ?

As I have the drivers side all together I feel a bit lazy and I know I could take it back out and try the short side on the Drivers side.

Thoughts ?

Phil


Are both axles supposed to be the same length ? 
 

Phil Moulton
cell  503-236-0060
philmoulton at comcast.net
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.broncofix.com/pipermail/bfix/attachments/20080504/a3903e8b/attachment.html