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I am rebuilding my axles and would like to pull the rear hubs. I purchased a hub puller, but am stuck on how to finish the job. The photos and articles I researched all show an axle shaft separate from the hub to bear against. However, I have a full floating(?) setup where the axle shaft bolts to the outer hub flange.



The way I see it, I am pulling on the lug studs and pushing on the hub flange (via the axle shaft). I don't see how this can work and am hesitant to crank down that hub puller. What am I missing?? [/img]

If the axle in your photo is your rear axle then you have a Dana/Spicer model 23-2 WWII MB rear axle which by the way had 4:88 gears or you have a very early CJ2A axle which had 5:38 gears. Either way the hub is removed by removing the jam nut, lock tab washer and lock nut inside the hub and sliding the hub/drum assembly off.

The correct rear axle for the M38 is the Dana / Spicer model 41. This axle is a semi floater and is removed with a puller.


This manual will cover your full floater rear axle.



You need to remove Y, Z, Y and then slide the hub/drum assembly off catching the outer bearings.

You use the same spindle nut socket you use for your front acle hub nuts.

Thanks Wes. That "23" cast into the flange did seem curious. My questions branch out a bit at this point.

First, I have read about the rebuilding and refurbishing of war-time jeeps in Japan, Germany, and here in the US where jeeps were reassembled from piles of parts. Considering my M38 has this axle, M38A1 backing plates, and a GPW model 7700 T/C, is there any way these swaps could have happened at a facility like that? Or are the components from too different of a time period?

Second, the axle in question has "GPA4025" cast in the upper flange. I understand Ford's copy of the Spicer 23-2 put in GPWs was the model GPW 4001. Can anyone make sense of this casting and differentiate if this was an MB or GPW axle. Thanks.

Here is the axle from the original post. I was messing with my album and....................

That is most likely a casting number for the housing only. The final machined axle assy with gears would probably be the 4001.

As I mentioned above the ratio of your axle is 4:88 to 1 and the stock front and rear M38 axles are 5:38 to 1. The very early post WWII CJ2A full floating rear axle had 5:38 to 1 gears.

The difference of your front 5:38 to 1's from your rear 4:88 to 1"s will only make be an issue in 4WD on dry surfaces.