Axle Shafts

MotorpoolMac · Post by **MotorpoolMac** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:49 am

Axle Shafts

I came across some weird front axle shafts. They have numbers cast into them - but the numbers are not in the Ord-9 Book. The numbers are:

2 Short Shafts 2283033 (I'm guessing this is the outer)
1 Longer Shaft 227?364 (I'm guessing this is left inner)
1 Long Shaft 2276303 (I'm guessing this is the right inner)

At fist I thought they were Weiss Bendix shafts but the Bendix numbers are:

2 Outer 2056644
1 Left inner 2057365
1 Right inner 2056645

What is also very baffling is that these shafts have fine splines. I bought these shafts with gutted axle housings and differential punkins. The axle housings look correct but the differential punkins are quite odd, having fine splines (that mach the shafts) and a round Pinion Retainer rather than the usual star shaped retainer.

See photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-k ... directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9O ... directlink

Could these be M135 / M211? They are painted military green so i didn't think that they would be civilian - GM didn't make any civilian front-wheel-drive trucks did they?

Thanks!
Daniel

dr deuce · Post by **dr deuce** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:22 am

The front pinion bearing retainer being round may indicate an M211/135. The DUKW had round retainers to allow for the attachment of the rubber boot.

I seem to recall that all M211/135's had such a retainer.

Also the outer axle being longer would indicate maybe an M211/135 too.

More fine splines are stronger than fewer course splines