I've got my '67 Cutlass Supreme in the shop and the mechanic told me my rear axel housing is "fubar" and therefore the bearings can't seat in it properly. He says I need to find a new axel housing for the guts of my rear end (I had a posi put in it a few years ago that I'd like to keep, plus I want to keep the correct type of rear end to the car).

Does anyone have any leads on where I might find a housing for a 1967 Olds Type "O" 12-bolt axel? Or have any advice one what I should do?

 

Put a post in the "parts wanted" section of this forum. There has to be something available someplace.

Wayne

 

Which bearings "can't seat properly"? The differential bearings? Pinion bearings? Outer axle bearings? And exactly what is wrong with the housing? It takes some doing to actually mess up the housing.

 

Check your local craigslist or FB marketplace, should not be hard to find....

 

since youre in WA check with Larry (Lemonolds) .
Ive got what you need but am too far away from you

 

Yah, I would like to hear this one too.... What the heck was this rear end put through. WAS it always running and or did you get it from a scrap yard then rebuild it? WHAT IS THE STORY HERE?
That is like someone saying you have cancer...YOU had better get a second opinion.

 

Send some pictures of what they shop thinks is bad???

 

^^^this!

 

Are you thinking it would be too much $$ to ship? The mechanic I'm working on has called all of his connections around the country and hasn't come up with anything.

 

Your mechanic sounds like an idiot from what you are telling us....

 

I've owned the car for 12 years and put probably 100,000 miles on it in that time. It's now a 220,XXX car. In the last few years it's been going through rear axel bearings like crazy. This mechanic says it is pretty remarkable and says it looked like someone had been jumping it. I've never jumped it, but I drive it, and use to drive it harder. I've taken it on a lot of road trips, taken it camping, its been down dirt roads. I also live in a city with lots of potholes.

The outer axel bearings wont seat because of how the housing is jacked up. I also didn't get any photos from the shop before they put it back together.

 

​​​​​​Are you thinking it would be too much $$ to ship? The mechanic I'm working on has called all of his connections around the country and hasn't come up with anything.

Is Larry someone on this forum or is Lemonolds a shop?

 

I have Lemoldsnut on this site. Redmond Or. (541) 815-4363

 

Straighten axle housing and tack weld in place. Today a 67 housing I'm sure have over 200k miles on them.

 

I’d swap in a 10 bolt (either 8.2” or 8.5”) and be done with it.

 

It's all numbers matching (I know its only a CS) so I want to keep it original. Plus I put a posi in it a few years ago.

 

There are no numbers that "match" on a 1967 Olds, unless you have the Protect-O-Plate that ties the engine and trans unit numbers to the VIN. There is nothing on the rear axle housing that ties it to a particular VIN.

As noted, straightening a rear axle housing is a common activity for anyone who's ever narrowed or welded on a housing. It's not a big deal - the tubes are just mild steel. Descriptions like "jacked up" are not particularly helpful when trying to determine the exact problem and what it takes to fix it. The questions people are asking are because you really have to try to screw up an axle housing to the point that it is unusable. There's another thread where someone's shop installed the wheel bearings backwards on an axle shaft, and instances like this always make one skeptical that any nameless shop actually has a clue about Oldsmobile-specific parts.

 

I agree. Jacked up rear to me is a bent housing. I've only see housing become bent from accidents and passes down the drag strip with slicks and good HP. Should be no reason 220k would hurt housing.

 

Exactly. And I don't see how a bad bearing could screw up the housing either. The axle shaft, yes, but not the housing.

 

"Jacked up rear" means to me someone with air shocks pumped up (or spring spreaders), raising the rear of the car much higher. Often times they claim tremendous horsepower because they can spin the tires.
A bent axle housing is a bent axle housing.

 

I agree, but people use the term "jacked up" synonymously with "f'd up".

 

I didn't use the term jacked up but the mechanic I'm working with used "fubar" which I quoted in the original post because thats the info I was given. They said there is an 1/8 inch of play where the bearing should seat. I posted here because I'm looking for advice on what I should do and on whether this shop does know what they're talking about. They're a big shop and they do a lot of muscle cars and classic European cars which is why I took my car there.

I'm about to drop a lot of cash on a new rear end as per what the shop told me I need so if anyone believes thats not needed or I should just have my axle repaired I'd appreciate the advice.

The only reason I mention that its a numbers matching is in response to someone saying I should change the rear end to a 10 bolt. I don't want to do that because I want to keep the car as original as possible.

 

But what does that mean? 1/8" radial slop or axial? Those are very different issues, and neither of them have anything to do with a bent axle housing.

And is it 1/8" on one side or both? And measured relative to what?

 

The only thing I've been told is that the the axle bearing on the left side wont seat properly because there is an 1/8 inch of play where it should seat. Sounds to me like it floats in the housing.

This is why a rarely take my car to a mechanic and try to do everything myself. I've typically had negative experiences and receive cryptic information. But alas, rear ends are outside of my abilities at this point.

 

An FYI in 67 GM used the 12 bolt cover Olds rears with bolt in axles. They also used the P type rear 10 bolt cover. And possibly Canadian cars used the 12 bolt cover Chevy rear with C clips to hold the axle in. If you are not the original owner it is possible the rear isn't even the original one to the car....

 

1. Fubar has two definitions according to my experience. Fubar (r = recognition) and Fubar (r = repair). You need to ask for information that is usable. So far the shop has provided you with gibberish and no facts. We can't make determinations without pics and measurements.
2. 1/8" sounds like a lot of play. It makes me wonder if the wrong bearing/bearings were used.

^^^^^------This is what you need answers to, not gibberish and slang.

If you get cryptic information from a mechanic, then ask his boss to translate it to you. If you are paying the bill,you have to right to correct information. If they are paying you to bring your axle housing to them, then they have control.

 

The axle bearing has a 1/4 inch of play inside the housing, a different shop I took it to 4 years ago did the bearings and swapped out the left axle cuz it was "warped". It sounds like they might have put it in when there was play, so the inside of the housing has been chewed up by the bearing not being seated properly. Their logic is that going with a donor housing will be easier/cheaper then getting this axle re-sleeved or re-machined. I was able to find a rear end for a good price.

 

It isn't physically possible to have 1/4" of "play" inside the housing. The wall thickness isn't sufficient to have that much wear. You'd break through to the outside. Statements like that kind of make my BS detector go off.

Let's try a systematic troubleshooting approach.
1) If only one side is the problem, then use a caliper or inside micrometer to compare the two sides. If the axle housing is that far deformed, I'd love to see a photo.
2) Swap the axle shafts and bearings side-to-side. Again, if the "play" is now on the other side, guess what?
3) Verify that both axle shafts have exactly the same bearings, and that the bearings are actually installed correctly. We just had a thread where the shop installed the bearing backwards on an axle shaft. Most Chevy-centric shops haven't seen a Type O axle in 50 years.

It would still be nice to know if that 1/4" of play (up from 1/8") is in the radial direction or the axial direction. The mind reading thing still isn't working.

Or, we can stop wasting your time and you can just fork over whatever it takes to buy another housing. Your call.

 

If car was driven wouldn't you have a brake drum hanging up due to axle moving. Also was the 1 side leaking rear end oil? It should be soaked on that side. I'm just offering my opinion to help as this problem does not sound right. I would have to see a picture showing gap or the outer bearing and inner housing measurement.

 

I like the others in previous posts am still waiting for a picture/s.

 

My thought reading through this - there surely must be an actual driveline shop in a metro area like Seattle. Might be a good idea to seek one out and have an expert check it out.

https://rearsngears.com
Rears & Gears in Port Orchard

https://www.northwestdifferential.com/default.htm
Northwest Differential in Monroe (looks like a long ride)

EDIT - “monzaz” is the resident rear axle specialist here and if you can come up with any pics or concise, descriptive diagnosis ie measurements he can likely give you a pretty accurate assessment of what you’re up against.
——

 

PICTURES.......


jIM

 

Will get some pictures this week, shop is closed on weekend.

I appreciate all of the helpful info, I feel like I have a solid plan of action and I’ll keep you all posted as I find out more!

 

I have an "O" housing I bought a few years ago and had powder coated black. Do you still need one?