Hey guys, I just got finished doing my drivers side hub bearing, all the o-rings and seals. I also did new ceramic brakes and turned the rotors.

For the most part, I followed Guzzles writeup and all went kind of smooth. Untill I go the the large outer stub shaft seal.

What a pita!

Is there a special tool to push that seal onto the outer stub shaft with-out damaging the seal? I used a piece of exhaust tube and did distort it a little, but it seems to still spin fine. I guess the test drive will tell me for sure.

Also, I'm kicking myself in the rear end because after I put the entire thing back together I noticed that I forgot the dust shield for the brake rotor. Doh!
How important is that thing? I'm half tempted to pull everything back apart and do it again but I wanted to hear your guys's advice first. I pull the ones of my offroad rigs because they tend to trap gravel and sqeel like a stuck pig. Are they to keep raod junk off the rotor and out of the brakes? How about cooling? Will they affect the brake cooling at all?

I also used an ABS hub (I have non ABS) because it was new and didnt cost me a penny. I plugged the hole with black RTV and tested the auto lock and everything locked and unlocked just fine. Think it will hold? I love free stuff so I cant moan to much. lol

So, what are your thoughts on all this madness?

 

Im getting ready to change min in about 10min. Hope everything goes good for me. Hopefully I will get that seal in.

 

If its the seal on the axle stub shaft and you dont have the tool be carefull and take your time. I took the steering TRE off the knuckle so I could flop the knuckle back and forth. Then I took a flat blunted punch and tapped the old seal out from behind the knuckle out the front.

That was the easy part.

Getting the new seal in was the hard part. I found a piece of exhast tube that was just big enough to fit the inner metal ring and then tapped it onto the axle stub shaft. Its hard to get that thing on without damaging it so be carefull and take your time.

 

I'm headed out back now to pull it all apart because I need to re-install the brake backing plate

I thing I will weld up the ABS hole while I'm at it.

 

I made a press tool by using (I believe..) 1 1/4" steel pipe, a cap and a flange. I had to grind the flange a bit to make it fit inside the outer ring of the seal. Then I had a BFH and just smacked the new seal on. The first one was a bit scary but the second one went on quickly.

 

I did that when I did my wheel bearings (passenger side). I wasn't about to to take it apart again. Still like that.

 

There is a special tool to put that seal on and it also it also sets the whole assembly back in the knuckle the proper distance to make sure you will not have a vacuum leak. Its made buy OTC and its around 50.00$. It makes that job so simple. Roy

 

I took mine to the Stealer. Gave the mech. some cash, done. You have a link to that tool?

 

X2, I'll buy one.

 

Google OTC 6695

 

Just found it at Summit Racing for $49.95 Not available until 12/19 though. Looks like it can be found here: http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/otc6695.html

 

www.otctools.com the part # is 6695

 

Home made axle seal tool by seven.three.superduty.com

 

I tried that exact DIY tool. Didn't work for me. Started to deform the seal. I figured it was worth the time and money to let someone with the right tool do the job. Not saying it doesn't work. Just saying it didn't work for me. At all.

 

That's the tool I made and used. Once I got over the fear of hitting it too hard, the seals drive right on! I've used it on both of my seals and close to 10 times since, helping out friends with thiers.