The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Rear axle seal replacement

I got a 59 3800 ton with a ten bolt rear (counted off diff cover) I have an oil leak that is messing up my brake drum. I cleaned up the drum and the backside of the wheel the brake drum doesn't have the hub in it like later model Chevys. How do I replace the axle oil seal? Do the axles come out without messing with any clips in the diff? I was reading an old 1955 3/4 1 ton manual and it says you need special tools to remove the hub but it didn't look like my rear my truck was used as a fire truck and I believe it has a 5-14 rear the rear cover has 10 bolts and the front pinion side has bolts also so it comes apart on both sides I also need to know what the oil seal part number is cause I'm sure it will be hard to find thanks everybody

The axle comes out after you remove the 8 bolts around the flange. There is a nut with recessed notches on the end of the spindle. One of the notches has a tang bent in to lock the nut. Bend the tang back. Take a hammer & punch & tap the nut in one of the recesses. Once it is loose it will spin out easily with the punch. Then pull the lock ring "spider" off & then there is another nut like the first one. Spin it off & the drum & hub should slid off the spindle if the brakes are not grooved or adjusted too tight. Then you will see the seal. The seal is readily available at any parts store as it was used for many years. National brand part # 2081.

Thanks for the info and the part number you rule !

If one gets the proper hex or octagonal wrench, it will save having a bougered up set of nuts down the road, no use leaving a mess for the next guy.

Ed

I agree but these don't use a hex or octagon nut. It is a round nut with notches. There is a socket for it but is not nessesary unless the threads are buggered up.

I have the socket and it is quite handy. A cheap one from the auto parts store for some make/model 4x4 front spindle nut will fit perfect, just take a nut in to match.

I've used the punch method a lot of times and it always somewhat bungs up the nut. The socket is a good investment, cheaper than a new set of nuts. If suggested by the service manual to torque the nut so much and back off you can actually do that with the socket, not a punch.

One other little tidbit. To get the axle to come out, there is a hole in the flange that is threaded. Thread a bolt in there and it will start pushing the axle out. All these details are online in the shop manual at "Old Online Chevy Manuals".

I have read the info from the 56 shop manual , but it shows the rear bearing in the brake drum as an assembly, my rear drums come right off and do not have the hub connected to them. is it all the same other than hub in the drum? Do you need a slide hammer style seal/bearing puller to get the seal out or can you use a regular seal puller like you use to remove the grease seal from a disc brake rotor? I have a 59 rear is there a difference between 56 and 59?

You can use any seal puller or methed to remove the seal from the hub. An old axle shaft with a flange makes a great driver for installation. Cut it off about a foot from the flange.