Thats terrible. Glad to hear it wasnt worse and everyone okay. Was there any warning? Noise?
Just a few seconds beforehand, yes.. Grinding and wobbling, but it happened all very quickly, and I gotta say, quite unexpectedly. The car was behaving perfectly without any warning sign whatsoever up to just a few seconds before the axle failed.
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1959 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door hardtop Sport Coupe
1956 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina 4 door hardtop
Its awful dry there, the bearing is oiled from the rear end side, should there not be gear oil running out on the ground?
It looks fairly dry on the brake side too, so the bearing was not leaking. Was the rear end full of gear oil?
You were real lucky you had so little damage to the body.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Whew, lucky. I once lost a wheel on the 401 @ 90 kph (Olds Omega) ... not pretty.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Looking at that picture more closely, I would say that the axle was actually fractured for awhile. You can see were the last little bit of metal was actually broken off of the axle whereas the rest of the axle looks dirty or old in comparison. What does the stud end look like?
-- Edited by 67Poncho on Thursday 6th of September 2018 11:25:55 AM
I agree. Looks like a fatigue crack that had propagated over a long period of time - most likely from long before you bought it.
I'm not sure you can attribute that to the bearing, but would have to see all the parts to understand better. It's quite possible that the axle was nicked at some point (during a previous repair?), causing a stress riser (localized stress concentration), from which a crack could propagate, cracking little by little with each cycle (rotation) or with reversing axial loads (cornering). As the axle fatigues, the broken surfaces will rub against each other, creating a surface that looks similar to sand on a beach from the waves going over it. Also, dirt, grime, or rust often makes its way into the crack creating a weathered surface next to the shiny, fresh broken surface that 67 Poncho pointed out.
Just a guess - I personally haven't seen one quite like this before, but maybe it was a well-known issue 50 years ago? Anybody seen this before?
Yep, brand spanking new axles should be here tomorrow. I will keep the board posted on the repair and the final analysis of what happened. I believe you guy might be right and that the failure might not be bearing related after all.
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1959 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door hardtop Sport Coupe
1956 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina 4 door hardtop
In the early 70s I worked in a garage and the boss had a 62 safari wagon with a 348 and a three speed. For the winter he had a rear diff with the spider gears welded to lock the rearend. The axle broke one day in the same spot as the picture here when he got it stuck.
Well, a couple of thousand bucks later, she's back on the road and riding better than ever.
It cost that much, because I have taken this opportunity to do a bit more than just change the rear axle.
I changed both rear axles, wheel studs, bearings and seals. Changed the rear brakes shoes, rear shocks (front ones were already new), carrier bearing, transmission support and had the drive shaft realigned and balanced.
All in all, a lot of little improvements so that this Parisienne (I now call her Stella, by the way) gives me safe and reliable driving pleasure for years to come.
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1959 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door hardtop Sport Coupe
1956 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina 4 door hardtop
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I had right rear axle leak in wagon, removed axle to find "brand new Brg. but silicone all over??? After close inspection, Brg. installed "BACKWARDS" on axle!!!! replaced it ,shoes etc. now I'm wondering. " was the left side, put on backwards too???? not leaking so didn't disturb it.
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
had to stick my 2 cents in...for all its worth..lol...when i worked in a service station way back in the late 60's & early 70's...the owner of the garage used to cut the old bearings off with a torch..then install a new 1(alot of japanese knock-offs were sold in fake GM looking packaging) used a heavy pipe as a slide-hammer..i think back...YIKES...proper way to do the job is in a press....kinda wonder if that happened to your car???.....Bob
had to stick my 2 cents in...for all its worth..lol...when i worked in a service station way back in the late 60's & early 70's...the owner of the garage used to cut the old bearings off with a torch..then install a new 1(alot of japanese knock-offs were sold in fake GM looking packaging) used a heavy pipe as a slide-hammer..i think back...YIKES...proper way to do the job is in a press....kinda wonder if that happened to your car???.....Bob
That's exactly how I did mine!!!! machine shop took a "long' wknd. so reverted to "old school" method" it worked!!!!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.