1947 axle

[mrcadillac]

Hi

I have a 47 Convertible here in the UK, on a trip last week the rear axle broke, i haven't had it apart yet but it feels/sounds like a ring/pinion issue.

Ive been offered a 48 axle from a friend, i know its a different body style but it still has the same engine/trans, but would anybody know the compatibility of the rear axle? Would it bolt up to a 47 without modification, if not would the internals be the same.

Any advice gratefully received , parts are hard to come by here and expensive to ship here

Thanks

Andy

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

As long as the 48 is not a commercial car parts book shows the same on the carrier assembly, axles and housing.  Verify what the model the 48 is and will check again.  These parts are Cadillac tough so surprised you had a failure but there is one part that should always be replaced before driving and that is the axle bearings.  They were an early technology sealed bearing so they did not have a long life.  This could have led to your failure.  This has been noted many times here but may need repeating for new people to this vintage of Cadillac's.

[mrcadillac]

Thanks for the reply Brad

The 48 axle i think was from a Series 62 Sedanet, it was a project car and the guy is going the custom route and doesn't need the axle , it doesn't look pretty but is complete bar one broken drum, see pic

I was also surprised mine broke, no noises or warning, we just lost drive as if it had jumped out of gear, we looked under the car and the prop was turning but the axle wasn't, i ha vent investigated further yet

I did wonder if a 49 axle would fit , would be great to go to the easier to remove drums

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

I suggest you pull your axles first. If one is broken, replace it from the donor  one. If they're OK pull the housing & gears & use the one from the donor rear end. No  need to pull your housing.

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

I have checked again and all should work.  Agree with Bob.  Start with the axles.  If they are not broken then just exchange the differential carrier assembly.  Much less work than changing the whole unit.

[mrcadillac]

I suggest you pull your axles first. If one is broken, replace it from the donor  one. If they're OK pull the housing & gears & use the one from the donor rear end. No  need to pull your housing.

i was lead to believe from reading other posts on the forum that on these early cars with the bolt on drums you cannot swap the gears out?

[mrcadillac]

An update if anyone's interested , i managed to purchase a decent used puller and got the drums off the car, nothing out of the ordinary on the drivers side, on the passenger side the axle shaft was broken in two, never had that before in nearly 100 Cadillacs owned. A friend had a 48 Series Sixty Two axle which seemed to be in good order, swapped in an axle shaft from that and also swapped the gear set pumpkin in as well, mine seemed fine but wasnt sure what had caused the break, axle bearings also all seemed fine. Rock Auto sent the wrong axle bearings and seals, no surprise there, so we put it back together for now. Test drove it yesterday and all seems fine now. I have just ordered the correct rear axle bearings, seals and rear brake shoes, now i know how it all comes apart and have the puller it wont be too much of a task. Thanks for your replies and advice, it was a great help. Andy