spills

iTrader: (9)

Took the car out today to give a friend a ride. Comin off a road I stopped to wait for traffic, and I could smell rear end dope. Sure enough, I get home and the driver side rear axle seal is leaking!! I just replaced BOTH axles seals, and bearings that have to be removed and then pressed on to replace seals. Ive driven the car since I had the bearings/seals replaced, but today it decided to leak on me. Is it even possible for it to leak with a new seal? I havent pulled the wheel off yet, but from what I remember once the seal is on and the retainer plate is bolted to the axle tube, thats it. no adjusting or anything like that as far as the seal goes. I dont know, I was just soo happy to get a 3.70 posi 9 bolt in and runnin, and now this crap . Sorry for the ventin, but I am lookin for suggestions as to why/how it could be leaking. Ill check it out tomorrow.

Norwood

iTrader: (1)

Hey Spills,
Just replaced all my bearings and seals on my 9 bolt not too long ago.
Assuming everything was done correctly and the seal mating surface on the axle is ok its possible you may have the wrong seal for that side. The correct seals have different part #s for driver and passenger sides. I was told both will fit either side which is true but not the way to go. One side(can't remember which) is discontinued. The right seals have a durable rubber OUTER surface that seal against the housing/axle tubes. They also have directional grooves on the INNER lip of the seal. At Autozone they tried to give me a generic seal for one side that didn't have the rubber outer surface nor the directional grooves. It would have fit but I didn't use it.I'm sure it would have leaked on the outer surface unless a sealer was used.
If you use a driver side on the passenger side(or vice versa) the outside surface would be ok but the grooves would be running the wrong way and would, I think, actually draw gear lube from inside to the outside.
I ended up finding the right seals at NAPA and they were made by TIMPKEN but I didn't keep the part #s. Hope this helps and if you already knew all this then, NEVERMIND.

spills

iTrader: (9)

lol, i kinda knew some of that. I ordered my seals and bearings from Ratech, but I didnt install them. I paid one of the guys in the shop I work at to do it for me. He cut the bearings off, then pulled the seals off. But even with both of us there, we couldnt remember which way the seals went on. We knew which side was which, but didnt know which side of the seal should be facing inwards or outwards. I didnt even notice the directional grooves, that coulda have helped us out figure out which way they went in. Ima go pull the wheel and caliper off and see what I can find.

spills

iTrader: (9)

ok, got everything off. I snapped some pics (camera cant zoom for crap!!)

The first 2 pics are of the seal, as you can see. The "ring" that is kind of off center on the seal is facing the inside, if that helps. Not sure if thats something you should go by when installing these things. The outside face of the seal is metal and flat.

In the last pic, you can see a small cut on the axle. this is where the guy who replaced the bearings for me cut it off, but he said the seal doesnt ride there and it is on the inside part of the seal so it shouldnt hurt anything. Didnt know if that could affect it.

Norwood

iTrader: (1)

The pictures are not the clearest but it appears that the seal is installed correctly (not backwards). Mine are black and the hollow side faces inward. So, in order of installation on the axle: bearing retainer, seal (flatside out, hollow side in),bearing and race (large o.d. out), bearing retainer.
I could not tell exactly where the cut on the axle is but if it is on the inside of the seal lip it should be OK. I would make sure to file down any raised edges the cut might have created to prevent it from cutting the seal surface just in case it extends to where the seal rides on the shaft. I've seen people repair the indentions from chisel marks by cleaning real good and filling with JB Weld and then buffingreal good with fine emery cloth. It will be just as smooth as glass. Hope this helps.

spills

iTrader: (9)

well if its installed correctly, then Im really stumped. I havent seen too many seals that are defective, but I guess it can happen. But thats the last resort. Theres gotta be another reason