Front Axle / Hub Issues

"Laban's Revenge" is living up to its name-the 1974 Jeep CJ 5 my future father in law "gifted" me with is proving to be more Leah and less Rachel.
Aside from the reality its more rust than diamond, and that the three speed was stuck in neutral, full of water and the engine rust/age seized-albeit only 60k miles-I started to work on unseizing the engine that hasnt turned in 29 years. I obtained a used locking hub in order to get the beast into 4WD to assist in nudging the engine by towing it down the street with my F150. As I began to install the drivers side Warn locking hub, I discovered that the axle shaft is "loose", both end play and radial wobble. The shaft is not broken-it spins the other half shaft properly.
My question involves the feasibility of installing the hub and attempting to tow it. My guess is there is a worn out bearing at the outer end of the axle which supports the shaft, and am wondering if it would cause more damage if I tried my unseizing scheme towing it (slowly, short distance, high gear). If it is up to a nudge attempt, what is the possibility that the axle half shaft , with blown bearing, might still be somewhat serviceable around the farm? Pulling dif cover now to check fluid etc...

Obviously I will need to disassemble the axle and repair the problems-can this be performed on the vehicle easily?
I'm guessing, by studying the images of the axle online, I will need to remove the hub at the knuckle, and pull the drivers half shaft out.
I can't spend the coin ATM to remove and rebuild entire axle. Future plans include locker and new springs, at which time ball joints, all bearings, tie rod ends will be done.

I'll state the obvious-a new engine is undoubtedly in store as well, and all my attempts might just all be in vain.
Even if I unstick the 258, it surely will not be champion of performance or longevity.
My efforts in the short term are geared to being able to use it as a farm utility vehicle, off road use only, on my 15 acre mountaintop, with as little cash outlay as possible.

Edit to add-further study online suggests that the worn out inner axles outer bearing caused the locking hubs failure-and any attempt to simply install the used hub I obtained will only result in another broken locking hub. My fiance'es father did say he last lent the Jeep to his sons friend way back in '84, and it came back with a stuck locking hub, which he apparently removed, and did no further work. He was likely unaware of the inner ales outer bearing being bad. I can see that I'll need to bite the bullet and pull that axxle prior to any such nudge efforts or off-highway farm use.

 

I would pull the axle out and check the spindle bearing. I'm assuming it is still drum brakes?

 

leave the locking hubs off to tow
nothing in the front axle will turn except wheel bearings

 

Yup, still drums. It had the original factory air in the original tires too!

And I couldn't help myself-I installed the locking hubs, locked them in, and nudged her about a hundred feet. 4 black lines on road, engine still locked.

With chain tight, I grabbed my biggest wrench-a five foot long 6" jaw gorilla wrench and stuck a 6' long pipe over it. Gave a nudge on the trans yoke-and the Jeep rolled forward!
Engine is now free-with plugs out, and crankcase full of solvent I towed it about a mile. Gonna try fire it tomorrow!

To pull the inner half shaft i suppose I have to pull the knuckle apart...any tips to do it expediently? Second, does the outer bearing of the inner shaft set axle end play?
The half shaft moves in and out more than a quarter inch inside the hub...the u-joint is tight. Unless the Dana uses a GM style c-clip in the dif, I don' know...

 

Your axle play sounds normal to me....it "floats" in there, no endplay to set.
Without the locking hub in place you'll get some up/down play as well.

 

Other side had no play either way...near as I can tell from online images is that there is a seal and bearing in the axle housing.
I am suspicious that bearing caused locking hub failure and subsequent removal. I would conjecture that the long side axle is more likely to fail,,,

 

The only bearings are in the hub and spindle. There should be an axle seal to keep the diff fluid in at the ends of each axle tube. Taking it apart is pretty easy once you do it a couple of times. Just make sure you put it back together in the same order as you take it apart.

Once you pull the lockouts off there is two large spindle nuts with a washer sandwiched between them to keep the hub on which houses your inner and outer wheel bearings. Then since it is drum brakes I believe you would have to pull the backing plates off. But if not the axle will slide right out of the tube. No need to crack open the diff cover. Their aren't any c clips on the inner axles.

I converted my dana 30 over to disc brakes using 77 and up model year axle parts. It all bolted right on but you have to replace almost everything from the knuckles out.

 

The seals that keep the diff fluid in are all the way in right by the differential.
The seals at the ends of the axle tube are just dust seals.

 

Axles should come out once you remove the hubs, bearings and spindles. Do yourself a favor and get the socket for the spindle nuts.
About every front axle I've worked on has signs of Bubba working on it. Chisels, screwdrivers and hammers aren't the correct tools to deal with those nuts. Hub failure? I can't see how a seal could cause this. As long as you are this far into the knuckles, check out the king pin bearings and bell wipers. Several writeups about this service and "Knuckle Pudding"

 

The OP has a '74, Unca....
assuming it's a Dana 30. Good advice about the spindle nuts, though.

 

I buy new nuts and washers because i can guarantee they were cold chiseled or screwdrivered. I am guilty too, but not anymore

http://walcks4wd.com/spindle-nut-wrench.html

I also happened upon the correct SK-wayne one for 5 bucks not too long ago.

 

Ok, oops. I suppose I am stuck in the past. A few days ago the neighbor kid called and asked if I had a spindle nut wrench.
Dug out the old style pressed metal socket and what he needed was the spanner type for an internal spline style of a model 44 front axle. Maybe I will catch up some day.

 

Thanks all for the input. Yeah, got to have the spindle nut socket or leave the job alone. Get the tool or be the fool...
I have rebuilt GM axles, both front and rear, full floating and conventional. I was surprised at how much slop was in the Jeeps drivers half shaft-compared to none in the passengers side.
Axle, bearings, seals were fine. Its back together for now-until locker time, when suspension, ball joints and steering will also be upgraded.
I was able to drag jeep around with trans and crank case full of kerosene to help wash out crud...Its looking possible!
Getting a replacement distributor to try to get her to fire this weekend!