Hello,
I am replacing the rear oil seals on my '85 Jeep CJ7. This job sucks due to the 2 piece axle and rusted on hub, so I don't want to have to do it again. When I put the axle back together, should I use gasket sealant between shims, axle housing flange, outer oil seal, brake backing plate, outer dust shield etc.??? Between any or all of the above? Thanks in advance for your advice!
- Adam
No.
Let me offer you a suggestion, take this opportunity to switch to the one-piece axles marketed by, among others, Superior Gear and Moser. These two, and probably the others, are using tapered roller bearings, whereas the earlier offerings used ball bearings. I have the ball bearing variety, and the ball bearigns are unique to this particular application. The problem with this is that I can't simply walk into the local bearing store and buy new bearings. I changed to the roller bearing type axles a couple of years ago, and have not needed to service or replace the bearings since. I suppose I should go in and take a look to see how they are doing, but they have gone further to date than the old ball bearings ever went.
The one piece axles take a little bit of effort to install, but they are easier to service later on, and they are much stronger than the two-piece design that you have today.
Thanks for the advice. I wish I could go to a one piece axle right now, but I just spent $1,500 on a new boat motor and I don't think I could get away with putting $300 more into my jeep. Next time I take it apart I will go with a one piece but for now I am trying to stop the leak to prevent damage to rear differential.
What can I do to prevent spin out now that I have disassembled the hub? Can I put lock tight on it? Can I tack it (with a weld)? Again, a permanent solution is ok, because next time I take apart I go one piece. Any other advice? So far I have no gasket sealant and hand pack the bearings with grease. Thanks Again!
- Adam
People make this harder than it is. before you take it apart, mark the hub in relation to the shaft. Use the large 3 arm puller to remove the hub. Rreplace the seals or whatever and when you put it back together, return the hub back to the marks....yes the splines will match up any way, but this way it goes right back to the way it was. Get it tight and reinstall the tire (without the centercap on the rim if so equiped) Use a 3 or 4 foot cheater bar (Hi-Lift Jack handle) and with the weight of the Jeep holding the axle, tighten it to the 250 and then till the castle nut hole lines up and pin goes in. This works for me and I haven't spun a hub right after reinstallment.
Would it damage anything if I tack welded the hub to the axle? I would love to replace the axle with a one piece, or even replace the hub, but I promised the wife it was a cheap project (only the cost of seals).
- Adam
That big-ass nut on the axle has to be torqued to a really huge number, then turned so the cotter pin aligns with the next slot on the crown nut. DO NOT turn the nut backwards to get to a place where the cotter pin can go in.
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