The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Axle leak when tilted- replace seal or just clean vent?

Hi All,
So, while I am redoing all the brakes, I jack up the passenger rear side 3 or 4 inches. Come back next day and there are two quarts of gear oil leaked from the driver side rear hub.
Does this mean a bad wheel seal? I didnt notice a leak before.
Or could a clogged axle vent allow oil to bypass the seal if the axle is tilted? The vent was gunked up.
I hadnt planned on working on the drivetrain yet, Should I fill-er-up and hope for the best? Or will I ruin my new shoes?

thanks!

Time for a seal replacement.

as remo gaggi said in the movie casino "why take a chance" should you get a portion of oil on your linings you be replacing them again. since your there it would be a good time to replace them. they are'nt expensive or hard to change.

Thanks, digging a hole in the desert for the old seals.
Or in the words of Mike Ehrmantrout, "no more half measures".

A stuck vent would not cause a leak as its job is to relieve pressure in the differential while driving. As the truck was not driving I would think seal. Nonetheless you should make certain the vent is free. And you can't just change the shoes without the seal as it would only happen again.

While you have it apart, check the axle bearings and the portion of the axle that the bearings roll on. Your new seal won't last long if you have excessive bearing wear.

I had a groove in my axle from the seal believe it or not. I was told there was no way to fix it so I had to find other axles which was not easy. Someone had mentioned a Speedi-Sleeve or cold welding (?) but again these ideas were nixed. I would love to have a way of repairing the grooves.

Thanks all, I ordered wheel seals from Napa and a gasket for the pumpkin, and have the manual.
Do I need to buy or improvise a puller?

Its nice to have a seal puller but "most" of the time I can pop them out with my big screwdriver which is always near by. Generally you can get behind the seal and pry against the top fo the housing and they'll pop out.

Can of worms. I pulled the axle, and a piece of bearing race and three bearings came out with it. Dont suppose I can put the loose bearings back in... So, need to get new bearings now.

I ended up having a 1/2 inch wide spacer made at a machine shop. This allowed the new bearing to move out on the axle to a non worn spot. It also moved the seal out. The seal was 1/2 the thickness of the old leather type. Another fix would be to bore the axle housing deeper. Another option might be to hard chrome the axel and regrind it. I called all over the USA. No one would make new axels for a 46 chevy.

Hi All,
any preference in manufacturers? Timken, National, or BRG? Napa is most expensive

Advance Auto - National Cylindrical Outer Race Part No. R-1502-EL
NAPA - Part Number: BRG R1502EL Product Line: NAPA Bearings
Autozone - Timken/Wheel Bearing - Rear Part Number: R1502EL

best to do the bearings and seals while you are there. I went with roller bearings in lieu of stock 'ball' bearing.

Any tips on which way faces out on the seals?
Side with the seam or side with the bend?

Speedy sleeves work for that application. I don't know why you were told otherwise.

Looks like the differential cover was on wrong. There are grind marks on two sides of the inside of the cover - must be from the ring gear?

How does the cover go? I presume the two bulges in the cover are supposed to line up with the ring gear? Does the filler plug end up higher or lower than the center of the cover?

On page one of my photo bucket you can see the diff. Ring gear is on the left and the fill plug below center.

When I did my 53 the only seals I had available were National and Chicago Rawhide. One has a wider flange which makes it better. But I forget which make.