Axle seals
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Powell RIver Canada
Axle seals
I was having trouble today putting my axles in, I replaced the seals, but it seemed like i had to pound them in really far so the axle flange would bolt up properly and the axle would spin freely. I just seemed realy weird to me. Also , are there different styles of axles? I remember seeing tapered roller bearings in manuals, with the races in the axle housing. I have the ball bearing style with the race and bearing as one unit. NOw are there two seals on each end of the axle. LIke one in the axle housing and one on the acutal axle itself between the flange and the bearing? I must sound really retarded asking sucha simple question, but i have a chilton's manual and it does NOT show a good picture of it.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 328
Likes: 4
Axle seals
I'm not sure what type of vehicle/rear end we're dealing with here, but I just got through replacing mine in my '76 F-150 4x4. My rear end is the "semi-floating" type, and the axles have 31 teeth.
I at first thought that I had a race in the rear end housing as well, but it turns out that was actually a part of the bearing that had separated and was "stuck" in there. I had a new seal, bearing, and crushing ring installed (machine shop cut off the old crush ring, removed old bearing and seal, installed new bearing and seal, and then pressed back on the crush ring). BTW, the new bearing is like the one you discribed, so I wouldn't be concerned.
I don't have 2 seals, unless you count the one metal gasket that goes between the axle housing and the brake plate assembly when you bolt it back on.
FYI--I had a heck of a time getting one to stop leaking (removed and installed it around 6 times). I finally went back to the machine shop, told them of my problem, and they agreed to reinstall the parts on the axle (no charge). I bolted that one back on, and haven't had a problem yet (about a week now). We'll see.
Hope this helps and Good Luck
DutchmanAZ
76 F150 4x4
tired 360
I at first thought that I had a race in the rear end housing as well, but it turns out that was actually a part of the bearing that had separated and was "stuck" in there. I had a new seal, bearing, and crushing ring installed (machine shop cut off the old crush ring, removed old bearing and seal, installed new bearing and seal, and then pressed back on the crush ring). BTW, the new bearing is like the one you discribed, so I wouldn't be concerned.
I don't have 2 seals, unless you count the one metal gasket that goes between the axle housing and the brake plate assembly when you bolt it back on.
FYI--I had a heck of a time getting one to stop leaking (removed and installed it around 6 times). I finally went back to the machine shop, told them of my problem, and they agreed to reinstall the parts on the axle (no charge). I bolted that one back on, and haven't had a problem yet (about a week now). We'll see.
Hope this helps and Good Luck
DutchmanAZ
76 F150 4x4
tired 360
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 326
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Axle seals
Blaxuede:
By what you're describing I assume you're refering to the Ford 9" rearend. There are two different setups depending on whether you have a 28 spline or 31 spline axle. The 28 spline has a sealed ball bearing assembly with the seal pressed into the axle housing (because the bearing is sealed, it doesn't need to be lubricated by the rearend oil). The 31 spline has a tapered roller bearing assembly that has the seal between the retaining flange and the bearing and is greased by the rearend oil.
By what you're describing I assume you're refering to the Ford 9" rearend. There are two different setups depending on whether you have a 28 spline or 31 spline axle. The 28 spline has a sealed ball bearing assembly with the seal pressed into the axle housing (because the bearing is sealed, it doesn't need to be lubricated by the rearend oil). The 31 spline has a tapered roller bearing assembly that has the seal between the retaining flange and the bearing and is greased by the rearend oil.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 180
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From: Powell RIver Canada
Axle seals
I do have a 9" Rear end, with 31 spline axles, However, I don't have the tapered roller bearing. IT's the ball bearing type with the bearing seal on it. Weird or what?
