This is my first time taking the front axles out, so bear with me.

I am putting in new axles/u-joints and hubs. I have gotten as far as to take the spindle nut off, but the ring with the holes in it doesn't want to come out. What up?

Take a couple of sdrewdrivers and wedge them along side of the washer and work it off, it will come. Or the bent kinda dentist tools work real good.

I've also used snap ring pliers - sometimes it is jammed against the "tab" on it, so try spinning the hub back and forth some to attempt to release the bind.

Sweet guys, thanks. I've got everything off including the spindle. That wasnt so bad!

So my next question is my original axle didn't have a seal on it and there is a bunch of shit in there. Any good tricks to get that shit (my tech term) out?

Also, since I have it down this far, I think I'll do the disc brake swap. Have you guys done it and is it a quick and simple swap once you get this far?

-Jack

are you saying that you didnt have a seal on the stub shaft, so you have all kinds of junk inside the spindle?

No, there was a seal there. Just not on the long side. Should there be one on the long shaft?

-Jack

No seal on the long shaft going into the axle tube, i thought mine had one, but i talked to siz states for like 10 minutes going over there diagrams and they dont show one, they said people have made seals, or got ones for diferent applications and put them on. But EBs stock dont come with them. You bought warn axles and CTM joints but dont have disc brakes? Seems backwards to me, i wish i had that kind of money.

On mine there is a seal futher in the axle tubes and nothing at the end, so mine too had a bunch of crap in it, just tried to get as much out as possible with a long screw driver :)

For the disk brake swap - yes it's and easy swap. Use a '72-'76 chevy K5 blazer backing plate, caliper, brake line, bajo bolt, spindle, spindle bearing and seal - '76-'81 ford Bronco (have been told the cut off is '79 too and that f150s also work) rotor, hub, hub seal, and hub bearings. You can re-use your locking hubs and spindle nuts.
Autozone has a deal, and I believe Napa too for a Hub-rotor assembly ~$30 has the hub pressed into the rotor with lug studs and bearing races all installed too. Checker (parts america, etc) has loaded raybestos calipers for ~$30 also. The only source of backing plates I have found are junkyards - have two sets if you can't find them locally. The spindles can be found at junkyards or Randy's carries them new too (may be able to save you some there too, if you don't have a friend with an account).
You also need two 5/8"-20 X 3/8" thick brake hose retainer nuts, two 7/16"-20 X 1" bolts, and two 1 1/4" diameter fender washers.

After it's all put together, check your clearance on the back of your caliper - you may need to grind it some to allow clearance for full steering.
May also want to pick up a different master cylinder - I'm using a '79 F250 disk brake master cylinder myself and it works great for manual brakes - would have to search around some to get info on a good power brake MC (the affore mentioned mc may very well work too)

Thanks for the info guys. I'm gonna wait on the disc brakes. I have the tranny/xfer case pulled out right now and want to stay focused.

Yeah, warns/ctm's before the disc brakes. I have power brakes right now and they kick ass. I know wet weather will likely cause a problem, but so far so good. I also recently broke a u-joint up front and w/ 38's I knew the axles would go next. So rather than having the worlds baddest 2 wheel drive I got the shafts and u-joints. The disks up front will come soon enough.

Also, can anybody else confirm no seals! Doesn't seem right, but that holds true for mine as well!

-Jack

Originally posted by IronBenderII

Also, can anybody else confirm no seals! Doesn't seem right, but that holds true for mine as well!

-Jack

NO inner axle shaft seals. NEVER. The diff has oil seals the tubes do not.

bender the only seals are just outside of the carrier, none on the outboard end of the axle tubes.