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I noticed something leaking onto the rear pass wheel on the inside so I took off the wheel and drum expecting to see a bad wheel cylinder. No luck. I think it might be the axle. What do you guys think? How hard is it to replace the seal? Is this even a stock rear end?

[img]http://hesproductions.com/home/axle-leak.jpg[/img]

[img]http://hesproductions.com/home/rear-axle.jpg[/img]
[img]http://hesproductions.com/home/wheel-cylinder.jpg[/img]

Yep, Looks like an axle seal and a cover gasket also. You will most likely have to change the cover gasket anyway to change out the seal.

An overfilled diff. will cause leaking seals also.
Add fluid to about 14mm (9/16") below the fill plug.I've seen this concern all too often.

JS

How hard is this seal to change? Can I get the parts tonight at my laps?

May very well be able to get the seal locally tonight.
CHanging the rear cover gasket will let you put fresh gear oil in the differential as well, always good to change once in awhile (2 or 3 years)
OH,, be ware of the old gear oil stink
Look closely at the plase where the axle seal is suppose to seal, make sure there are no grooves or cuts in the surface.
Remove the 4 nuts through the hole in the axle flange and use a chain with a weight if needed attached to one of the lugs on the flange. Use the chain/weight as a whip and the axle should pop right out. BE SURE to not be standing directly in-line with the axle incase it decides to come out quickly and get you (stand off to the side a little)
ALSO, change the shoes, soaked brake linings are not good stopping devices,,, no matter how well you try to clean them.
Remove one side at a time so you have a reference as to how they go back together

Where are the 4 nuts in the axle flange? Are they visible in any of the photos on this post?

I went through this drill with my '55 first series. This axle assembly has some "c" clips in the differential housing that will need to be removed. You will not be able to remove the axles until those are off. Then the axles will come out easy, at least mine did. I recommend either a factory shop manual or Motors Chiltons to get the steps right.
I think the reason my seals failed was due to the axle vent being plugged so there was no relief when the fluid warmed up. The only place it could go was out the seals. My truck had the open Hotchkiss differential, but if you have a torque tube and have been topping off your tranny, that fluid may have found a path through the okie bushing and seal back to your rear axle seals.

and yes, that is the proper 55-59 rear axle - parts are easily available - rear axle seals - NAPA# 49225 [Federal# 414045]

Bill

Okie bushing???

I forgot you had a task force truck. Forget about the okie bushing and seal that is for a torque tube truck.

splashoil, i've notice lately that one of my axel seals maybe leaking. will that number for the replacement seal work on my truck? it's a one ton,with a two piece drive shaft and I've already changed the 3rd member to a 4.10.

tony'n weatherford

That was Squeeze who gave the part # for 1/2 ton axle seals, but since you asked, I had this '33-'61 Chevrolet Master Parts catalog hogging space on the kitchen table so:

'46-'61 3/4, 1 TON GASKET, rear hub 1/2 axle bolts (2& 3/4 I.D. x 4& 7/16 O.D.

Chevrolet part # 3680995

This should work in most parts stores as a cross reference for your axle.

Lets pose a hypothetical (hy-pathetic) question.
Suppose I wanted to get higher gear ratios from my rear axle. Is it possible to have that done and have the seals replaced at the same time?
The old 2 birds with one rusty tool concept.

The seal replacement will be part of a good re-gearing job. You might consider a later-model axle assembly, however. Rehabbing a 40+ year old part is tougher, and usually more expensive than a transplant, unless you just want to stay original for some reason.
Jerry

You mentioned in another thread you plan to eventually put ifs on your truck. If that is the case you should consider finding a rear end with matching wheel bolt pattern rather than putting money into a 6-bolt rear end.

Someone mentioned using a Dodge Dakota IFS for a conversion a while back. That one's a 6-lug wheel pattern, isn't it? It just might be that somebody's stumbled onto the ideal way to do an IFS conversion and stay with stock-appearing wheels, etc.
Jerry

I would love to replace the rear axle with something about an inch narrower. My tires scrub a little when I'm loaded (like 1000 lbs. of candy)
I'm not interested in original. I'm interested in functional.