One of the rear axles has rotational play (you can hold the wheel mounting plate and still rotate the axle a few degrees). Is this normal? The other side has no play so I’m worried.

With it jacked up, put the wheel back on and try the side to side movement. This will tell you if the bearing are also going out.

Your splines that lock the hub to the axle sound worn. You can try and tighten the nut more and see if that helps but once they are worn, that's about it, time to replace. This usually happens from a long period of the hub being loose against the axle shaft. When people put these back together, they don't always put the required 150 or 200 Foot pounds of torque on the nut. This results in worn parts and your now needed replacement parts.

Ask around for a good hub and see if the newer hub is tight or if you also need to replace the stub axle as well. No time like the present to replace or repack your wheel bearings.

Good luck,

Dave

Thanks Dave, I think I found a link on this site for the hub, now i have to identify and locate the stub axle.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3005

Do you think this is one of the parts in question?

Sorry.

The flange is the peice that is Bolted to the stub axle on the Strut assembly.

The Stub axle is the peice that the wheel bolts to. It has the 4 wheel studs and is held into the strut assembly via 2 large bearings and a 1-1/16" large nut.

The axles are bolted to the flange with 4 small studs and nuts.

Make sure it's the flange that is loose and not the U-joints on the axles. Hold the flange and try twisting the axle to see if the u-joints are bad.

Like Dave said. Jack up the car, put it in gear, hold the half shaft firmly and try and rotate the tire. Watch were the play is coming from. If there is ANY play in the u-joints replace them. If the play is from the flange to/wheel then the splines in the stub Axel is bad. There should be zero play from the diff to the wheel. It is just a matter of locating where the play is .

Gary

I understand - the stub axle is the part with the lugs for the tire and the flange is the part that the half axle bolts to.

The strut is out of the car - it definitely is the connection between the stub axle and the flange that has the rotation. now I have to find the parts ---

Is there a source for a good parts break down, pictures, part #s ect.

Thanks for the help - I'm 2 1/2 years into the project and I hope to drive the car next summer. The help is truly appreciated

Phil