MTFCA Forum

Gentlemen,
I would really appreciate some advice on how to replace a sheared axle key in my right rear wheel. I have never encountered this repair before and I am hoping that I can gain some insight from those of you with "experience" in this repair. .

There are two keys, one on the gear end and one on the wheel hub. I presume you mean the wheel hub, but I have never had/seen one sheared off.

Allan from down under.

Maybe a picture of what you’re talking about would help. Did you remove the wheel and the key was sheared off? The key is supposed to be in the wheel key way on the axle. Is the key still in the axle key way on the wheel end of the axle?
Are you talking about the key way on the gear end of the axle inside the differential?

Maybe you mean the axle key is sheared or stuck inside the wheel hub itself?

Hi Gary,
Most axle keys shear because the hub was loose and the back & forth motion wore the key into a hour glass shape then it sheared. in this case
most of the time both the hub & axle are not useable any more. If the key sheared because of a sudden load was apllied then it probubly did
it's job and the hub & axle are ok. If the keyways look good inspect for cracks before replacing the key. I put Centry seal or paint on the rear
axle nuts so a simple visual inspection give worning if there is any movement.
Craig.

The axle spins free of the wheel. Looking at the axle end, I can see the keyway and the key are at different points. I've dealt with this on other make antique cars but not Model T. I'm hoping by just pulling the hub I can grab onto what's left of the key and knock loose whatever is left in the keyway. Right now, I'm waiting for a hub puller from Snyder's.

I realize the key is still covered by the stuck wheel, but even so, diagnosing this without pix is like calling the doctor on the phone and asking if this mole is suspicious.

FWIW, if the axle is spinning free of the wheel, it is hard to imagine that you need a puller

looking forward to the pix...

(I almost wonder if your car has broken an axle and has safety hubs holding it all in place)

Hi Gary,
Usually if the key is sheared a hub puller is not needed? The hub & axle may be gaulded. I hope not.
This thread got me to thinking, and I could not remember the last time I checked the hubs on the fire truck. So it's time to check. Hell its only
about 120 degrees in that old inclosed trailer I keep it in. So Neither hub was loose but I took up the left axle nut one hole & the right two holes
On the last parade I had six kids & two adults in the truck. I'm thinking about 1200# of payload + the 1800# the truck weighs. I would be willing
to bet it would not take long before one came loose. This maybe due to short term memory loss or being too damn busy but it would be very imbarassing to loose a wheel in a major parade on live TV.
Gary thanks for the question & reminder.
Craig.

What others said...

Take the cotter off...back off the nut (it's gonna pretend it is stuck) and see if the wheel simply pulls outward without a fight. If not, use the puller. Don't worry if you don't use the puller...the other side or the next time has an equal chance of being needed and you'll be glad you have it.

it's just a square key that has a sled runner inner end of the milled axle key. The two chunks should just pop out. Going inward on the bottom and let it climb the sled runner might be the easiest. The in the hub part I think either way works just as well.

If the key has rocked for a while, a new key might be loose, do a trial fit after honing the corners of the key-stock. It should almost feel sticky against the sides. Were it me and it be a bit loose, I would just get oversized key stock and try that first. Old journeyman use to lead in loose keys, I never quite got that.

A BIG THANK YOU!

You may find that the key was removed at some stage to allow towing of the vehicle. With the key missing, the wheel will rotate on the axel and not drive the transmission drums against the bands.

When I brought my first T, the vendors explained that the engine would run but the car just shook on the spot and not move. When I got it home, I found that one rear axel key was needed to get her running again!

Gary,

Once you remove the wheel, show us a photo of the axle & keyway. Sheaing an axle key is extremely rare. It will most likely also mean that the axle itself is likely damaged as well.

Mikasa

show us how to turn off a computer, please.

Axle keys shear because the axle shaft nut was not kept tight. After you install the wheel with the nut property tightened, the car should be driven and the nut checked a couple times until you are certain the wheel is firmly seated on the axle taper. When a wheel is run loose, the hub moves around on the end of the axle causing wear/ damage to the axle shaft taper, the wheel hub taper, and the keyways in both. Expect to have to replace the axle shaft, the key, and potentially the wheel hub. Properly tightening the rear axle nuts is extremely important for the safety and reliability of a model T and yet it's an area often neglected.

Stephen

Stephen_heatherly wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:59 am

Properly tightening the rear axle nuts is extremely important for the safety and reliability of a model T and yet it's an area often neglected.

Stephen

Correct! When I was involved with the "safety inspection" for cars participating in the MTFCI Int'l. Tours, I always found several cars with loose rear wheels/hubs. Very important and very often overlooked!

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 30, 2023 11:56 am

Stephen_heatherly wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:59 am

Properly tightening the rear axle nuts is extremely important for the safety and reliability of a model T and yet it's an area often neglected.

Stephen

Correct! When I was involved with the "safety inspection" for cars participating in the MTFCI Int'l. Tours, I always found several cars with loose rear wheels/hubs. Very important and very often overlooked!

Evey time I work on a model T belonging to someone else, I check the axle nuts. They're pretty much always finger tight!

Well Steve, I don't get it either. But then I don't get graffiti, running over mailboxes, or keying car paint jobs either, and add snarky responses from members of this forum too. There is something in it for them, I just don't know what it could be.

I see 4 registered users and 240 guests on line right now. I think this nonsense would stop if a confirmed MTFCA membership was required to access this site, but I don't make the rules.

They draw customers to their sponsored sites, and also attempt to give some credibility to the programmers who designed the AI by showing they have the bes and most accurate modern info. Great until those who REALLY know know better.
Think of them like these traditional spammers, but for a more (IMO) nefarious purpose of giving them credibility by lying about stuff enough until their lies becomes truth.

They draw customers to their sponsored sites...

Oh, I fully understand those. The ultimate purpose is to get your money. The ones that mystify me are those that present silly nonsense without any attempt to draw in paying suckers. The 10:50 PM entry above is one example. If somebody is trying to persuade me that these AI posts come from a trustworthy source, it's not working.