The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Axle seals for a '65 C20?

Just changed the rear end oil and now (20mi later) the r/r wheel has started to drip (Yes, it's gear oil, not brake fluid).
Can anyone give me the condensed, step-by-step version of resealing the axles at the rear wheels on a '65 3/4T?
What parts I need? where to get parts? What to remove? What to look out for? Potential problems that will leave the truck sitting on jack stands unless a particular part is on hand?
I can't find any mention in the '63 book or the '65 supplement.
I've got good mechanical skills...
just never done one of these before.
Thanks!

Remove the wheel, the 8 bolts that hold the axle in. If it has nuts holding the axle remove the nuts & hit the axle hard with a hammer being careful not hit the studs. Pull the axle shaft out. If it has a nut with notches in it, there will be a lock tab in one of the notches. Bend it out & screw the nut out with a hammer & punch. Remove the lock spider & screw the 2nd nut out. Than slide the hub & drum off if the brakes will alow it. If the axle has large hex nuts you will have to get a special socket to fit it. Pull the seal out of the hub. It is available at any parts store. If you need a new lock spider the are available at GM dealers. Coat the bearings with diff. grease & put some in the hub. Reassemble the parts in reverse order. Tighten the inner nut enough to remove any free play. Try it several times, this adjustment is critical. Fill the diff. completly full or a little overfull to make shure it gets back to the bearings.

Thanks, WR.
Should I use sealer on the axle end cap? What type? Sealer on the end cap bolt threads?

My truck has the same rear end as the one in this picture (I stole the link from another Stovebolt thread):
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4203/65chevyc20rear8yz.jpg
So, there's no circlip on the inside of the diff housing? I don't have to open the diff cover? Will the axle slide right back into place?

also...
When you say "tighten the inner nut enough to remove any free play...", is that axial, lateral or rotational free play?

No c-clip on these Eatons. Just slide the shafts in and out.

That photo doesn,t tell anything. We need a photo of the end of the axle. Snug the inner nut down & back it off a little. Grab the edge of the drum with your palms with your fingers on the backing plate. Try to move the drum. Adjust the nut till there is no play. Put on the lock spider & outer nut. Tighten then outer nut securly & bend a tang into one of the notches. You can get new gaskets for the axles or use RTV.

Finally had time to post a couple of photos:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/allwaysways/album?.dir=/bfae
Strange, but every on-line parts listing I've found for a '65 C20 shows it as having a Dana rear axle. From waht I'm reading in this Forum, the one I have is an Eaton?
How can I clearly explain to the 16-year-old behind the parts counter which axle seals and gaskets I need, and make sure they're right??
Any advice you might have on this job for this type of axle will be helpful and much appreciated.

That might have been the wrong link.
If that one didn't work,
Try this one:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/allwaysways/my_photos

Dot Slash Dot????

I don't know a Eaton from a sack of hammers, but If you pull this thing apart, the seal will have a number on it. If no number, you dimension it by ID, OD, Lip Style and Thickness. As far as gaskets go, I think the only place one is needed is the cover, and I didn't think you were going to mess with that. Axles would get a bead of silicone to seal.

Judging from the pictures, you are going to need some rust blaster on the lug nuts before they move. If you try and replace the drum and wheel as a single unit, be very careful as you can rip up a brand new seal quicker than you can say Chicago Rawhide.

Stuart

My eatons had some sort of papery stuff on the diff cover and metal shim gaskets where the axleshafts bolt to the hub. I don't know if you have been over to 67-72chevytrucks.com, but search for "Eaton" over there and you will find tons of info and part numbers. Best of luck!

It looks like the Eaton axle to me. The seal # is probably 2081 in the National brand. The parts book won,t show it as Eaton. It will list it as except Dana. Practically all 20-30 series trucks up to 73 use this system.

Thanks for all the help, guys.
I'll get into this today and see what happens.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Had a difficult a time finding the right seals, but the National 2081s were indeed the ones that fit (Thanks Wrenchbender). I've been referencing parts for all kinds of vehicles for years, but the way they list these rear axles is really confusing. I ended up buying two different types of seals and returning the ones I didn't use.
Got the drums off and, sure enough, the old seals were hard as a rock, and there was gear oil everywhere. It's kind of amazing all of the creepy crawly wildlife species you can find when you take your old truck apart. If things can live inside a brake drum, maybe the earth is a little less fragile than everybody thinks.
I rebuilt the wheel cylinders and replaced the oil-soaked shoes and all the brake hardware. The drums were perfect, and the axles look like they're in good shape. One strange thing was that the right axle came out about 6 or 8 inches and then wouldn't pull out any further. I had to use the slide-hammer on it. The left side slid right out without any resistance. Same thing going back in; I had to tap the right side axle in with a rubber mallet. Hmm. Also, the end of the axle housing on the left side had an oil-splash deflector cup that the inner end of the drum fits up against when it's all the way on the spindle. But, the right side doesn't have one. Could that mean somebody took the right one off? Is it supposed to have these oil deflectors on both sides?
Anyway, it's all back together. I took it for a nice long drive today.
Just wanted to say thanks. The job wouldn't have gone nearly so smoothly without you guys.

What is that symbol you are using for a handle? I have searched high and low to no avail.


Stuart

bullet, slash, bullet