Ford 9" venting and brakes on Chevy truck

[arqangel67]

I'm looking for ideas on how to vent the 9" in building, specifically whether I can move the vent location. I would preferably like to have both the vent and brake lines center mounted one one each side just center of the axle. My question about the venting is if I move it to the center section will it puke out oil? any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[NicksTrix]

build a baffle over the opening and you should be fine.

 

[arqangel67]

Okay thanks, Should I plug the old vent hole or plug weld it?

 

[NicksTrix]

either. while working on the housing, might as well put a drain and fill plug in. makes life very easy

 

[arqangel67]

wouldn't the drain plug need to be threaded with a taper so it'll stop before it goes all the way in? If so how would that be done?

 

[arqangel67]

Ok well I figured out what to do with the vent and brake lines, but now when I was removing the axles I noticed the big spacer in the axle shaft had a coule of gouges so I checked the axle tube and saw that it too was gouged. So my question is can the end just be replaced or is the tube have to be replaced?i

 

[arqangel67]

Here is what I'm talking about
the first pic is of the gouged retainer spacer

next 2 pics are of the axle e housing end

this pic is of the other side that isn't damaged

this pic is of the axle it is 31 spline but I thought 31 splines didn't have a taper? It came out of a 79' F150

and this is of the bearing showing it is a big bearing set 20 ,right?

 

[arqangel67]

Well I found that the gouge in the retainer is nothing and it won't affect anything although I am going to replace it just to be on the safe side.

Here is a link to the fill cap I went with and I'm gonna go with a Currie drain plug.
http://secure.chassisshop.com/partdetail/C73-752/

 

[Tech Tim]

Looking at the wear patterns especially those at the axle near the splines, I am wondering if your housing is a little tweaked?

 

[loufish]

For venting, I like to use a barbed 3/8" nipple in the axle tube, and run a hose to a remote vent filter. I run the hose up the frame to keep it high enough to keep a water from running in. Here's a link to the filters I like to run, they have a stud on the top to make it real easy to mount,

http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=62-1090