Rear Axle ID

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006633" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="079005a0ddvuru.png"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/index.htm"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     |     </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Vern</B><B>co.com</B></FONT></div> <div> back to<B>  </B><A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle/"><U><B>Full-Floating Rear Axle</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/id173.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/id173.htm"><U><B>Site Map</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=150 BGCOLOR="#669966" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle1/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle1/"><U>Rear Axle ID</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle2/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle2/"><U>Stock configuration</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle3/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle3/"><U>Full-Floater</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle4/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle4/"><U>Vern-O-Lock</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle5/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle5/"><U>Ring and Pinion Adjustment</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle6/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle6/"><U>Required Tools</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle7/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle7/"><U>Helper Spring Mounts</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Three different types of rear axles were used during the production of the CJ series.  They are quite easy to tell apart by the shape of the covers.  </div> <bR> <div> The earliest civilian Jeeps used a Model 23-2 full-floating rear axle.  This was very similar to the version used on the MB/GPW, but with 5.38 gears instead of the military's 4.88 ratio.  The 23-2 shared many components with the Model 25 front axle, including the R&P gears and differential cover.  This picture, actually from my CJ-2A's Model 25 front axle, shows the cover's straight sides with a rounded top and bottom.  Note the "43/8" tag, which identifies the tooth count for the ring and pinion gears.  That ratio is 5.375, typically abbreviated as 5.38:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id564.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Model 232 25 Cover"><U><IMG SRC="927af4f0.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="79" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> The 23-2 rear axle is easy to discern from later axles because it has <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle3/id23_f250_full_floater.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle3/id23_f25"><U>full-floating hubs</U></A>.</div> <bR> <div> Our 1948 CJ-2A came from the factory with a Model 41 rear axle.  The Model 41 cover has a distinctive lemon shape, with no straight edges:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id565.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Model 41 Cover"><U><IMG SRC="929966d0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Numbers cast in the housing identify the model number.  The small "41" has been highlighted in red.  Note the nearly round shape for the cover:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Model 41 ID"><U><IMG SRC="0b5af3e0.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="62" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> The model 41 axle was replaced by the slightly upgraded Model 44 in the middle of CJ-3A production.  The identifying marks for the Model 44 axle are typically found in the same location.  Jamey Scott sent a picture showing an alternate location found on the rear axle of his 1958 Willys wagon:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id560.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Model 44 ID"><U><IMG SRC="9197d610.jpg" border=0 width="125" height="97" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> The Model 44 cover forms a crude hexagon shape.  Four of the sides are straight, with the remaining two slightly curved.  This image is from our 1951 Willys wagon:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id566.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Model 44 Cover"><U><IMG SRC="92e96670.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="103" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> With the Model 44's cover removed, the hexagon shape is a bit more apparent.  This image, once again courtesy of Jamey Scott, also shows the <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/powr-lok/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/powr-lok/index.htm"><U>Powr-Lok</U></A> he was quite thrilled to discover:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id567.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Model 44 Cover Removed"><U><IMG SRC="9367d670.jpg" border=0 width="125" height="103" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Both the Model 41 and 44 were designed as <A HREF="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle2/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle2/index.ht"><U>semi-floaters</U></A>.  This feature is easy to identify by the small cover over the tip of the axleshaft:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id568.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Semifloater Hub Cover"><U><IMG SRC="93c96550.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="85" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>