Avanti II Rear axle

[WKR]

Anyone know the type of rear axle Avanti motors put in the Avanti in 1973? I am going to go throught the brakes and the left rear brake drum is seized up after sitting for several years. I don't want to damage anything in freeing up the drum. If it helps any, the rear drums are not finned. I thought the rear drums on all Avantis were finned for heat dissipation.

Thanks!

Bill

[ernier]

Is there a big nut and cotter pin or just a flat hub?

If there's no nut the brakes could be keeping the drum on. Brake fluid retains moisture and things swell and the brakes self apply also if the emergency brake was on the cables could be rusted, even the drum itself can get rusted on to the axle.

If you have a big nut then you need a drum and hub puller to pop it off.

ErnieR

Anyone know the type of rear axle Avanti motors put in the Avanti in 1973? I am going to go throught the brakes and the left rear brake drum is seized up after sitting for several years. I don't want to damage anything in freeing up the drum. If it helps any, the rear drums are not finned. I thought the rear drums on all Avantis were finned for heat dissipation.

Thanks!

Bill

[adamderosa]

Your car should have a DANA 44 rear axle.

[Gunslinger]

I always thought post-Studebaker Avanti's all had flanged rear axles, but from what I've learned that wasn't the case. Apparently some did have tapered axles like R1 and R2 Studes did. It would seem logical that Avanti Motors used up that supply from buying all the parts from Studebaker in the initial deal, but who knows how long it took to use them up in new production? I would think use of tapered axles would have been primarily during the early years of Avanti II production but never say never about Avanti Motors. It could also have been a necessity due to parts availability from Dana as well.

I also was under the impression that Avanti's all came with finned rear brake drums, but again...never say never about anything. Your drums could also be replacements. Some years ago all the replacement brake drums available were smooth, not finned. That could have been a sourcing issue as well. At some point it was reported in the AOAI newsletter that the vendor stupidly, accidentally or otherwise broke the castings for making the brake drums. It's quite possible your car and others after that point were equipped with available smooth drums because of that. Finned drums are being reproduced now for Avanti's up through '85 if you need replacements.