Something Just Broke

Do you have the whomping big puller? Like the OTC 7394? http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7394-Universal-Hub-Puller/dp/B0002SRH60

 

Put the puller on it and take a good bind on it. Then give the puller a good smack with a shop hammer. It should jump off, don't let it hit you. I've had pullers fly three or four feet.

 

Can you post a picture of the axle?

 

If your rear axle had a big nut on it, something like 1 1/16 size, it's not the stock part for your year. The correct axle should be a flanged 44. Either the tapered or flanged D44s are fairly bullet proof until you go to big tires or big motors.
I had an axle break while I was driving up a side road in Vail about 30 years ago. I suppose it was better to have it happen there than while I was on the highway at 60MPH.

 

Interesting parts you have there. a tapered axle set up that has a brake drum that isn't swedged to the hub.
In the stock set up you probably should have had a "flanged axle" Do a search, look at the pictures.
Even the brake backing plate isn't right what size is the brake drum?

 

You need to measure the inside diameter of the brake drum. A '71 should have a 10" brakes with an axle end that looks like this -



No nut and no taper. A one-piece axle shaft.

The 9" brakes were used on much earlier Jeeps with the 4 cylinder engine. If they are really 9" brakes, check that they match the fronts.

Last full year for the nutted axle with a tapered shaft is 1969. The flanged axle is a much stronger axle and a feature of the '70-71 Jeeps. The flanged axles used 70-71 that are offset for the Dana 18 transfer case are scarce, and can command a good price when you find them.

 

No wonder I was confused as to whether or not you needed a puller!

I think your best bet right now is repeated impacts on the end of outer end of the puller screw, until the hub pops off when you least expect it. Use an air hammer if you have one. Maybe with some gentle heat on the hub.

Will your puller fit on to the lug studs? If not, be careful not to bend the outer hub flange.

 

You will probably break the flange off the hub with that puller but maybe no loss. If the key sheared and it spun on the shaft it's probably toast anyway. A normal hub puller bolts to the wheel studs so it isn't putting all that force on the outside rim. In addition, most have a striker wrench that will put a lot more tension on it than a gear puller, plus you can still beat the end of the screw with a BFH. Never had one not come off with one of those.

Even if it was a left over axle, it would have had 10" brakes like Tim indicated. The 9" versions were never used with the 225.

I have a hard time believing that someone would swap out the best factory rear axle ever used in an early CJ, but if it's a T14 transmission, that is what apparently happened. Bummer.

 

I would love to know the paint code for that yellow color. My '57 was dealer resprayed and looks the same.

If you are looking for a Dana 44, bear in mind it must match the track (width) of a CJ5, not a Cherokee, and must have an identical gear ratio to your front axle.