Hello, I have the 31 spline outer axles on order and am gearing up to be prepared. Did any of you modify a bearing setup tool to work? Is it easy enough to do without the setup tool? Also any tips on setting up endplay are appreciated especially if you have pictures. I have never messed with the rear bearings before but I’m decent with a wrench. This is only for the outer axles. Thanks in advance

 

Send a PM to GTR1999. He is an expert on rebuilding axles and differentials.

 

Stock setup tool won't work you need to machine a sleeve. Bearing setup is different then stock requires a preload, the new Tom's axles are very good. I was involved with them last year and they are now machined to stock press fit not a semi press or slip fit like some others on the market today. Once you press them on you better be sure. You will need to make a press tool if you want to take them apart again if wrong and you will wreck your new bearings.

You will need a surface grinder to dial in the correct preload, a lathe might work but the grinder is the best way.

When done correctly they will spin but not free wheel, there will be no end play and no rocking when pressing on the rotor at 3 & 9. The inner race is a odd ball and will cost you about $60 if you screw it up. The inner National seal and bushing can be tricky you're better off going to a SKF inner seal.

These would not be what I would start out with rebuilding for the first time, good luck.

 

IMHO, you'll be $$ ahead sending them to Van Steel and let them set them up properly.
It'll be money well spent.

Good luck
Bill Sr

 

Better to send them to GTR1999

 

Melwff I was just about to message him about that. It would just suck having the car down for a few weeks in what I consider prime cruising weather. I’m also on the fence on just ordering racevette’s offset trailing arms but really don’t want to figure out making an aftermarket parking brake system work.

 

Just have Gary (GTR1999) set everything up.
As stated, he is the expert.
He can also steer you in the right direction regarding trailing arms and all the associated parts.
I just shipped him my trailing arms and looking forward to getting them back.
Tom's and Van Steel also manufacture offset trailing arms.

 

Thanks for all the help guys and especially to Gary for taking the time to help me make a better decision than doing it myself. I’m just gunna order axles from van steel and new bearing supports (usa made of course) and they are going to do the bearing setup then send them to me to install. This way I can keep enjoying the weather while it’s nice. Btw the trailing arms were completely rebuilt 5 years ago so that doesn’t need to be done. I upgraded to a sb 427 a few months ago and am really missing being able to dump the clutch that is why axles are being upgraded. I also have a new differential on order that will handle the power.

 

Be careful who you have build your differential.
Do your research.
There is an EX member, lurking around who claims he builds the best for less.
I made the mistake of paying him $3,700.00 up front and got nothing in return.
And I have not been the only one to get ripped off.

 

I believe that I read a post about the guy you are speaking of. From what I read the customer was having trouble even getting his parts returned to him unfinished.

 

I had Gary build both my diff and trailing arms. Excellent service and worth the wait. Just got the Ridetech arms back from him about a month ago and hopefully life will allow me to install them this weekend. Rotor runout was .001 and .002.

 

In the latter years of his business, Tom was a supplier of rear suspension and differential parts to many of the Covette vendors and was also selling parts under his own name. Over several days in Tom's Bellflower shop, I spent many hours talking with him, Kenny, and his wife, and watching him on the phone conducting the business of Tom's Differentials. He really prided himself in the qualify of his parts, many of which he contracted with the original manufacturers to make his parts. For me, we had a very friendly relationship, but it was very evident that Tom had a short fuse. For instance, a California transmission repair shop had ordered pallets of transmission and differential parts. Tom had all the pallets prepared and when the buyer's trucking company showed up, they only wanted a fraction of the order.....I was there, Tom told them it's either all or nothing. They took all.

In their hayday, Tom and Kenny advertised that they had upgraded components, based on a stock Corvette IRS, that would survive 1000 hp in drag racing applications. The centerpiece of this 1000 hp rear end was a GM 12 bolt differential. I bought all of these components for my 70 except I stayed with the 10 bolt diff. I did buy Tom's "tuned" limited slip differential carrier.

Tom left California for Idaho. As a California resident, his only son, Zeus, was killed by an illegal immigrant in a motocycle accident. Tom was screwed over by California's Environmental Protection Agency. Astoundlingly the issue was just the oil in differentials Tom was then accepting for rebuild/upgrade. After a lot of personal hassle and attorney's fees, he left California for Idaho. Kenny passed away about the same time Tom left California, Tom has now passed. Sad.

 

As of January 2024 I just installed a Pair of Toms Axels and can say they are very high quality I will admit I was very skeptical that they would not need some sort of Shimming, but they did not. I guess I assumed that the factory Hubs would not be machined well enough to not need Shims. As said above the Seals that were included are not correct there OD is to small to fit the Hubs. Looking in a Seal Catalog I see that there is no correct Seal made the ones available will all be a compromise. Seal 471424 is a bit too large of an OD but I was able to press them in, so all is good. Although these Axels are not cheap, they save a lot of time not test fitting and shimming the way the OEM ones need especially if you're going to ship them out to be done.

 

This thread has been going for going on 4 years. Good time for starting a new one.