rear drive seal

[MartyNZ]

So, is the inner seal the only source for where this leak is appearing? (along the axle, spilling into the junction of the crown wheel and rear wheel drive hub before slinging out)

 

Yes I think so. An oil leak at the big seal on the LH side of the box would not let oil into the cavity that the axle passes through, only onto your wheel. But an oil leak at the RH seal would flood the axle cavity and come out at the axle on the RH side, and around the spline on the LH side (then out onto your wheel). That spacer should be dry (or rusty like the spare bevel box I'm cleaning up). Was your axle wet with oil as you removed it?

BTW, LH & RH are ALF (aft, looking forward)

[czakky]

That’s good, right?

[docc]

 

So, is the inner seal the only source for where this leak is appearing? (along the axle, spilling into the junction of the crown wheel and rear wheel drive hub before slinging out)

 

Yes I think so. An oil leak at the big seal on the LH side of the box would not let oil into the cavity that the axle passes through. But an oil leak at the RH seal would flood the axle cavity and come out at the axle on the RH side, and around the spline on the LH side (then out onto your wheel). That spacer should be dry (or rusty like the spare bevel box I'm cleaning up). Was your axle wet with oil as you removed it?

 

Yessir, wet axle. And rusty axle spacer. (How does that happen?)

 

The axle space fits much tighter than my original box. Perhaps why this one was not dripping out the right side?

[docc]

That’s good, right?

Axle should be dry of gearoil. Only lube on the axle should be whatever grease you smeared on it the last wheel installation.

 

This is my understanding.

[czakky]

Sorry Docc I was out of order. I meant that your ragged seal was a good find....

[MartyNZ]

Yessir, wet axle. And rusty axle spacer. (How does that happen?)

 

The axle space fits much tighter than my original box. Perhaps why this one was not dripping out the right side?

That might be a sequence thing: - years of slowly rusting in a oil free cavity, then wet with oil from a seal that begins to leak.

[docc]

 

Yessir, wet axle. And rusty axle spacer. (How does that happen?)

 

The axle space fits much tighter than my original box. Perhaps why this one was not dripping out the right side?

That might be a sequence thing: - years of slowly rusting in a oil free cavity, then wet with oil from a seal that begins to leak.

 

Interesting, the inside of the crown wheel "nose" is not bathed in the gear oil (normally).  This explains why my leak looked so "fouled" (dirty) while the oil in the drive is totally clean (and blue!)

 

It seems that letting your right outboard needle cage go dry, and rusty and bad, lets unfortunate elements get to the inner seal and ruin it.

 

Look at MartyNZ's Pic #2. The inside of that nose is dry. As it should be. (Mine is soaked on gearaoil).

 

One more heads-up that we have to service, grease and seal the right side "needle bearing cage" and prevent moisture infiltration from there.

 

Lest your axle spacer becomes a rusty mess and finally fouls the inner seal . . .

[docc]

[Thanks, again, to everyone for helping me sort this out and understand it.]

[docc]

I am not confident I can ever get this nose to seal . . . bummer . . .

[docc]

Da'gum Gumption Trap.

[MartyNZ]

I am not confident I can ever get this nose to seal . . . bummer . . .]

I bet your local machine shop could grind and sleeve that seal surface for less than the $1000 for a new crown wheel.

[Chuck]

What Marty sez. There are also "seal savers" I think they are called that can be installed, if there is one manufactured for that size. Very thin..

[Lucky Phil]

I am not confident I can ever get this nose to seal . . . bummer . . .

Docc as Chuck pointed out you can buy sleeves to press over the damaged surface to provide a new surface for the seal to run on. If the damage isnt too deep you may be able to get the nose ground and the seal still have enough tension to do its job. Seals of this size generally have a couple of mm interference on the sealing surface so a 10 or 15 thou regrind wont matter if thats what it takes to get the damage cleaned up.

 

Ciao 

[docc]

If this new seal is effective in the original reardrive, I'll pursue restoring the backup reardrive.

 

Taking the housing to a full 100ºC/200ºF made a huge difference. The frozen bearing fell in and within fifteen seconds could not be budged.  Left to my own, I would not have been patient enough to get it that hot before reaching for the hammer.

 

Riding the Sport to work this afternoon with fingers crossed . . . 

 

Thanks, again, everyone for the insights, instruction, and encouragement!  Y'all do totally rock!

[docc]

That’s good, right?

 

 

Sorry Docc I was out of order. I meant that your ragged seal was a good find....

Hey, so, yeah, there is a particular flavor of satisfaction to tear something down and find a definitive explanation for the problem.