The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Rear Axle Seal Replace

I have the axles out of my 46 1/2ton. One brake assembly looks like diff fluid leaked. In the shop manual it says a special tool is needed to drive in axle bearings - but for the seals is says quote: "the oil seal should be staked in place with a [censored] punch". I don't want to replace the bearings, but as a percaution, I'd like to replace the seals. Can I cut/pull the old seals out, leave the bearings as is, and then push new seals in? Or am I creating possible problems? Thanks!

Yes. You can do it exactly as you descibe. You do not have to stake the seal. Its not going anywhere. If the bearing looks good & the axle has no pits on it you are good to go. I take it you have the axles out already. If you have grease on the brake shoes you must replace them. There is no way to clean them.

Thanks! I was thinking it should be OK, but wanted to double check. Thanks.

I just pulled the drums off my '46 one ton and it looks like I have more oil in the drums than in the differential. Do you have a picture of what the oil seal looks like if that's what I need to replace.

I'm sorry I don't have a picture. I ordered 2 from Obsolete and received last week. They were in waxed paper. Just opened them - they are a circular metal "U" channel with a rubber seal inside the channel that sticks up a bit beyond the metal channel. To see them on the truck the axles need to be removed. That was actually a easier than I expected. The steps in the shop manual to remove the axles worked step by step (just a mess with the diff oil).