Worlds slowest rear axle seal repair...

[TodFitch]

Been working in fits and starts on fixing a rear axle leak. Mostly been too busy to spend a lot of time on it. But it has also required some machine shop work that took a while to do. Did you know that the catalogs in the auto supply store don't list Speedi-Sleeves by size? At lseat the books in my favorite store only list by the application, like chain case seal on a specific year and make. Turns out that the 1933 Plymouth rear axle hub is not listed.

Anyway if anyone is interested, here is the blow by blow. I think it would be similar in many respects for later Plymouths. http://www.ply33.com/Repair/axle_seal/ except you can probably buy the correct seals and maybe even get new drums and hubs.

[Don Coatney]

Tod;

Excellent write up with lots of picture documentation. Thanks for posting

[james curl]

That took some effort to document with the write up and the pictures. Nice format, good and clear how to.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Speedi sleeve has a 24 page catalog listed by size...

Chicago Rawhide..is the mother company I think..

your local does not have the space nor money to stock every application so they stock some of the most common failures appliations...

http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/chicago-rawhide/speedi-sleeve-catalog/11940-66677-_2.html

[busycoupe]

Great job! Very informative. One thing I don't understand; why shouldn't you use a light coat of anti seize compound on the tapered shaft? Is there a concern that drum will loosen up on the taper?

[Jim Saraceno]

Great information Todd. Thanks for the write up.

[Big_John]

  busycoupe said:

Great job! Very informative. One thing I don't understand; why shouldn't you use a light coat of anti seize compound on the tapered shaft? Is there a concern that drum will loosen up on the taper?

It will never seat correctly. The grease does not compress and will hold the two surfaces apart from each other.

[busycoupe]

What can be done to keep the drum from rusting onto the axle? Is it ok to wipe down with an oily cloth before reassembly?

[TodFitch]

  Tim Adams said:

Speedi sleeve has a 24 page catalog listed by size...

Chicago Rawhide..is the mother company I think..

your local does not have the space nor money to stock every application so they stock some of the most common failures appliations...

http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/chicago-rawhide/speedi-sleeve-catalog/11940-66677-_2.html

Yep. Actually I think SKF might be the maker of the Speedi-Sleeve brand. There are also Redi-Sleeves which as near as I can tell use the same part numbers. I downloaded and printed out a copy of one of the manufacturer's complete list by size and gave it to the machine shop that turned the drums for me.

[TodFitch]

  busycoupe said:

What can be done to keep the drum from rusting onto the axle? Is it ok to wipe down with an oily cloth before reassembly?

In my case everything was covered with gear lubricant. I did not degrease the axle shaft, only wiped it off with a cloth. So there was probably a very fine coating of oil on it anyway.

I don't think rusting in place is a really big deal for this. To rust you need moisture and oxygen (air). That is such a tight fit that very little of either will get in there for years. The problem with working on an axle the first time in decades it that it has been decades and so there has been time for a little rust to form. If you are driving your car at all, you'll probably need to do brakes every 10 or so years anyway and it is unlikely to be too bad in that short a period of time.

[TodFitch]

  Don Coatney said:

Tod;

Excellent write up with lots of picture documentation. Thanks for posting

  james curl said:

That took some effort to document with the write up and the pictures. Nice format, good and clear how to.

  busycoupe said:

Great job! Very informative. One thing I don't understand; why shouldn't you use a light coat of anti seize compound on the tapered shaft? Is there a concern that drum will loosen up on the taper?

Thank you all for your kind comments.

[captden29]

busy, i know it goes against the stated reasons, but i always put a small amount of anti-sieze on the tapered shaft when reassembling. i did this before i heard it was wrong and i continue to do it against advice. i have never had any problems with this method and the drum will release next time you need it off. i am not suggesting you do it, but i know many of us do. i also grease head bolts against the advice to do that. guess i am a rebel.normally i like to take good advice from those who know more or from the manual, but sometimes i just do it the way frank says, my way. capt den

[busycoupe]

When I bought my car 3 yes ago, it had been sitting for a dozen yes or more and the brakes were locked solid. The first thing I did on the car was to replace all of the wheel cylinders, master cylinder and brake lines. As I remember, I'm pretty sure that I used anti seize on the taper when I reassembled it. It hasn't been a problem yet, but perhaps when I get a chance, I will retorque the castle nuts.

[Big_John]

  captden29 said:

busy, i know it goes against the stated reasons, but i always put a small amount of anti-sieze on the tapered shaft when reassembling. i did this before i heard it was wrong and i continue to do it against advice. i have never had any problems with this method and the drum will release next time you need it off. i am not suggesting you do it, but i know many of us do. i also grease head bolts against the advice to do that. guess i am a rebel.normally i like to take good advice from those who know more or from the manual, but sometimes i just do it the way frank says, my way. capt den

I think you can get away with a small amount of anti sieze, although I wouldn't do it or recomend doing it.

I do use anti-sieze on things like lug nuts. I was once "advised" by a tire shop manager that he didn't think it was a good idea. Of course, I've been doing this for about 40 years and never had a wheel loosen up... but have had two wheels loosen after so called "pros" put wheels on.