One of the easiest (and cheapest) routine maintenance procedure that is often neglected is the replacement of the inner oil seal, and the outer felt seal.
After 30+ years of service, the factory seals in your axle are junk. The felt seals on my axle where virtually non-existent, and the inner oil seals had large chunks missing from them.
As you can see, the felt seal isn't in very good shape. The inner seal is just as bad.
I bought my two kits (one kit does one side) off e-bay for a total of $26 including shipping. Each kit includes one inner oil seal, one felt wipe, and two retaining ring halves. Note, the retaining ring halves do not come painted. I painted mine prior to taking the following picture.
Contents of one kit.
First, you must first remove the old seals.
To start, remove the 8 bolts that hold the two retaining ring halves to the knuckle. These take a ½? wrench. Once the retaining ring halves have been removed, pull/scrape the old felt seals off the knuckle (you may or may not ahve to make a cut inthe felt seal to remove it over the axle tube). Then pry the old inner oil seal (wear gloves for this part-trust me on this) from the grove it sets into. You must bend the oil seal in order to slip it off of the axle tube. Clean the area in which the seal and felt sit against. Your knuckle will leak once the inner oil seal is removed, so have a coffee can ready.
The old seals, and retaining ring halves
In order to get the new seals over the axle tube, you must make a horizontal cut on both seals. For the felt seal, make this cut on one of the flat sides. For the inner oil seal, you must make the cut through the rubber visible at the gap in the bonded metal ring. You must install the seals so the cuts are in the 12 o'clock position, or your knuckles will leak.
Make your cut on one of the flat sides like this
Make your cut through the rubber at this gap in the metal ring
Bend the inner seal just enough to slip it over the axle tube. I found it easier to seat the bottom first. Once the seal is seated, it will want to pop out at the top (at the cut), don?t worry about this, the retaining rings will push and hold it into place. The metal ring is the inners side of the seal, and goes against the knuckle.
The new seal ready to be put in place.
Then slide the felt seal over the tube and place the rings over it. Position the rings so the split runs horizontally. Replace the 8 bolts and hand tighten them. Do the other side and you are done. This took me about 20 minutes.
The new seals and rings bolted in place
After 30+ years of service, the factory seals in your axle are junk. The felt seals on my axle where virtually non-existent, and the inner oil seals had large chunks missing from them.
As you can see, the felt seal isn't in very good shape. The inner seal is just as bad.
I bought my two kits (one kit does one side) off e-bay for a total of $26 including shipping. Each kit includes one inner oil seal, one felt wipe, and two retaining ring halves. Note, the retaining ring halves do not come painted. I painted mine prior to taking the following picture.
Contents of one kit.
First, you must first remove the old seals.
To start, remove the 8 bolts that hold the two retaining ring halves to the knuckle. These take a ½? wrench. Once the retaining ring halves have been removed, pull/scrape the old felt seals off the knuckle (you may or may not ahve to make a cut inthe felt seal to remove it over the axle tube). Then pry the old inner oil seal (wear gloves for this part-trust me on this) from the grove it sets into. You must bend the oil seal in order to slip it off of the axle tube. Clean the area in which the seal and felt sit against. Your knuckle will leak once the inner oil seal is removed, so have a coffee can ready.
The old seals, and retaining ring halves
In order to get the new seals over the axle tube, you must make a horizontal cut on both seals. For the felt seal, make this cut on one of the flat sides. For the inner oil seal, you must make the cut through the rubber visible at the gap in the bonded metal ring. You must install the seals so the cuts are in the 12 o'clock position, or your knuckles will leak.
Make your cut on one of the flat sides like this
Make your cut through the rubber at this gap in the metal ring
Bend the inner seal just enough to slip it over the axle tube. I found it easier to seat the bottom first. Once the seal is seated, it will want to pop out at the top (at the cut), don?t worry about this, the retaining rings will push and hold it into place. The metal ring is the inners side of the seal, and goes against the knuckle.
The new seal ready to be put in place.
Then slide the felt seal over the tube and place the rings over it. Position the rings so the split runs horizontally. Replace the 8 bolts and hand tighten them. Do the other side and you are done. This took me about 20 minutes.
The new seals and rings bolted in place
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