rear axle housing seal replacement

Cider Mill

Cider Mill

Senior Member
What is the best way to remove the old rear axle housing seal and then the best way to install a new one?
 
Set the axle housing banjo flange down on some newspaper. Take a long screwdriver and slip it into the opening where the axle comes out. Catch the edge of the seal and tap it out with a hammer. You should be able to hear it hit the newspaper.

You will need to buy a seal insertion tool. Bratton's has them for about $6. Screw the tool onto about a 3-foot length of 1/2" water pipe. Set the axle housing on a concrete floor banjo flange up. Place the seal onto the tool and load it up with grease. Insert the tool down into the axle housing until it hits the seat. Hold the tool dead center of the axle housing and hit it with a heafty hammer. It will take 5-6 hammer blows to seat it. When it seats the hammer blow sound will change from a dull thud sound to a ringing sound.

Tom Endy
 
I just removed a rear seal and installed a new one a week ago. I just used a regular punch and hammer (at least 6 or 8" long punch) and tap the punch lightly going around the seal from the outside (hub end). It will fall out after a number of taps on the punch. To install the new seal, you really need a seal installation tool. I made a homemade tool using a 1/2" pipe coupling and a large flat washer. I welded the washer to the coupling and ground it down to the correct size. Bratton's has the tool PN 6270 for $7.50. Bratton's website is: www.brattons.com. You will also need a 30" threaded 1/2 pipe (with the inserting tool threaded onto one end) to stick down the housing to be able to tap the seal into position. When you start tapping the pipe with the seal on it, you will hear a hollow sound. Once the seal is in place there is a solid sound.
Rusty Nelson
 
Rusty:

Sounds like you are rebuilding a rear axle/differential assembly. Do you have the discertation document? If not, go to the Orange County web site www.ocmafc.com. Click on "tech aricles" and my name and scroll to the differential rebuilding article. You can download it and print out a copy.

Good luck with your project.

Tom Endy
 
Tom Endy said:
Rusty:

Sounds like you are rebuilding a rear axle/differential assembly. Do you have the discertation document? If not, go to the Orange County web site www.ocmafc.com. Click on "tech aricles" and my name and scroll to the differential rebuilding article. You can download it and print out a copy.

Good luck with your project.

Tom Endy
Click to expand...

I used this article a few years ago to rebuild my rear axle and it got me through the rebuild. Excellent article.

Rich
 
Check your axles for a wear marks from previous seals. It will show a shiny spot that is usually worn down quite a bit which will not help the new seal at all. We glued a specially made flat fender washer to the seal to effectivley move it off the worn area and get the seal lips on virgin territory. JB weld works fine for the glue. Its more work making up the spacer but will help the seal do its job. If your axles show no wear at all you are good to go without them. If the are worn and the seal won't seal.....check the rear brake shoes often.
 
Seals came out easy, just as you said they would. I have the Bratton's tool to install - just need to pick up some pipe. The axles look to be in pretty good shape where the seals go. Then on to Tom's article for pre-load adjustment.

Thanks all.
 
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