Rear wheel bearings

[D35 Torpedo]

Someone else mention in another thread, that the rear wheel bearings often go unchecked. Well I finally started to do research when I noticed a noise coming from them at low speed. I should've pulled the plugs and pumped some grease in, and I still will. But, I need to source new bearings and seals, sooner than later. I'll trying to track down koyo bearings and skf seals, then I'll report on my findings. Any tip or trick on replacing them, let me know. Thanks.

[SteveR]

I would replace the outer bearing race as well. These you have to knock out with a drift and hammer. Make sure you pack the bearing with grease before installing it. To hand pack take a lump of grease in the palm of your hand then scrape grease into the bearing at the wide part of the bearing until you see grease coming from the smaller end of the bearing. Here is a video 

 

[Kilgore47]

There is an inner and an outer seal on these.  Replace both.  While you have everything apart it would be a good time to inspect the brakes.  Cylinder rebuild kits are not very expensive.  Inspect them and rebuild if needed.  Auto parts stores keep these parts on hand.  Take one of the old rubber parts with you and they can match the size.  If the cylinders are too pitted then you may need to replace them.  With the cost and quality of reproduced cylinders now it may be better to take the old ones to a machine shop and have them sleaved with stainless steal.  Then you never have to worry about that again.

[Kilgore47]

And check the vent on the rear end housing.  Make sure it is not plugged.

[Tired iron]

Absolutely, do everything while you're in there.  This isn't an easy job and often you need a special puller, a torch and a sledge to do the complete job...so, one time, done right!

[moparfun]

Take plenty of pictures while disassembly. Check for axle endplay before you start and keep track of the axle shims. I found all the parts needed at my local NAPA. If your brakes or wheel cylinders do not need replacing you can unfasten the rear axle breather and use some shrink rap to keep the assembly clean and just move out of the way so you never have to open the brake fluid lines saving time and the mess later.

[harmony]

I don't want to get to specific since my old girl is a 48 and there are probably differences in our cars as far as those seals back there.  However this is a precautionary procedure you should keep in mind.  I have a tendency to be a bit wordy, so please bear with me.

 

I got lucky and my eye caught something that prevented a "re-do" of the inner seal that is mounted in the differential.  

The seal on my car is quite wide across and so I took extra precautions not to damage it as I was installing it.  I went to the local hardware store and bought a PVC plumbing fitting that was very very close ( just under) to the outer diameter of the seal.  This way, when I was tapping it in, all the pressure was put on the outer edge.   I was patting myself on the back at how well I executed that process, when my eye caught something shinny inside the opening of the seal.  That made no sense to me since when the old seal was removed it came out in one piece and the open is so big, due to the outer diameter of the seal it was easy to look in there and I was sure nothing was in there.  My first thought was a broken piece of one of the splines on the end of the axle.  Which was a bit of a stretch, but what else could it be???

Well, with a flashlight I soon discovered that it was the circular spring they put on the inner lip of the seal that had popped out.  As the age old saying goes, they just don't make them like they used to.   These seals are super expensive for us Canucks so rather than order another seal and wait 4 months for it, (covid times) I managed to get the spring back in place.  No easy task with fat aging fingers.  It did not want to go back in the groove on the inside of the seal.  Plus you can't see it so it's all by feel and not enough room for a finger from both hands.  I ended up using one finger on my left hand and a curved dental pick in my right hand and finally after about 30 minutes, I got it back in the groove.  I used Red and Tacky grease to help keep it in place, until the axle was carefully slid back in.

On the other opposite seal,  before installing, I used several strips of electrical tape to hold the spring in place while I was tapping it in.  That worked great.  Then after carefully removing the tape, I rubbed Red and Tacky grease around the spring to make sure it didn't pop out while once again carefully sliding in the axle.  If you examine the seal you'll see that the lip on the groove that holds that spring in place is really small.  "Chinese manufacturers code,,, lets cheap out as much as possible"

 

Btw, just as a handy tip.  As an alternative to electrical tape, I have recently discovered "hockey sock tape"  to be awesome tape.  Not to be confused with hockey "stick" tape.  The sock tape sticks to anything, as the word indicates even when it gets wet with snow and ice.  Plus it's really pliable, much more pliable and stretchy than electrical tape. Almost feels a bit like rubber in a way.   It's clear, and a bit wider that electrical tape.

[Plymouthy Adams]

necessity is the mother of invention; glad you overcome the problem and did not have to ruin a new seal.  You deserve a coffee and a donut, sad part, you will have to pay for it yourself.......just life guy....

[keithb7]

Call your local Cat equipment dealer. Ask for a price on 2 of these. Inner grease seals. They fit my old mopar axles perfectly. Great price.  Miles later, working perfectly. 

[SteveR]

Keith, do you have a part number for the front seal on my 37 Plymouth from Cat?

I have a Cat dealer 37 miles away compared to across the pond.

Edited July 21, 2023 by SteveR

[Adam H P15 D30]

22 hours ago, harmony said:

I don't want to get to specific since my old girl is a 48 and there are probably differences in our cars as far as those seals back there.  However this is a precautionary procedure you should keep in mind.  I have a tendency to be a bit wordy, so please bear with me.

 

I got lucky and my eye caught something that prevented a "re-do" of the inner seal that is mounted in the differential.  

The seal on my car is quite wide across and so I took extra precautions not to damage it as I was installing it.  I went to the local hardware store and bought a PVC plumbing fitting that was very very close ( just under) to the outer diameter of the seal.  This way, when I was tapping it in, all the pressure was put on the outer edge.   I was patting myself on the back at how well I executed that process, when my eye caught something shinny inside the opening of the seal.  That made no sense to me since when the old seal was removed it came out in one piece and the open is so big, due to the outer diameter of the seal it was easy to look in there and I was sure nothing was in there.  My first thought was a broken piece of one of the splines on the end of the axle.  Which was a bit of a stretch, but what else could it be???

Well, with a flashlight I soon discovered that it was the circular spring they put on the inner lip of the seal that had popped out.  As the age old saying goes, they just don't make them like they used to.   These seals are super expensive for us Canucks so rather than order another seal and wait 4 months for it, (covid times) I managed to get the spring back in place.  No easy task with fat aging fingers.  It did not want to go back in the groove on the inside of the seal.  Plus you can't see it so it's all by feel and not enough room for a finger from both hands.  I ended up using one finger on my left hand and a curved dental pick in my right hand and finally after about 30 minutes, I got it back in the groove.  I used Red and Tacky grease to help keep it in place, until the axle was carefully slid back in.

On the other opposite seal,  before installing, I used several strips of electrical tape to hold the spring in place while I was tapping it in.  That worked great.  Then after carefully removing the tape, I rubbed Red and Tacky grease around the spring to make sure it didn't pop out while once again carefully sliding in the axle.  If you examine the seal you'll see that the lip on the groove that holds that spring in place is really small.  "Chinese manufacturers code,,, lets cheap out as much as possible"

 

Btw, just as a handy tip.  As an alternative to electrical tape, I have recently discovered "hockey sock tape"  to be awesome tape.  Not to be confused with hockey "stick" tape.  The sock tape sticks to anything, as the word indicates even when it gets wet with snow and ice.  Plus it's really pliable, much more pliable and stretchy than electrical tape. Almost feels a bit like rubber in a way.   It's clear, and a bit wider that electrical tape.

 

I always pack the seals with grease to keep the springs from falling out.

[keithb7]

I don’t have the front seal part number @SteveR. I’ll bet your local Cat dealer is Finning.  That’s who I work for. Same company. It started here in Canada 90 years ago. 

Edited July 21, 2023 by keithb7

[SteveR]

50 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

I’ll bet your local Cat dealer is Finning.  

Yep you're right?

[Sniper]

online cross reference

 

http://www.kakapart.com/search/defaultsearch/2B-1869

 

Maybe of someone has the OEM Chrysler number for the front seal it can be crossed.

[TodFitch]

4 hours ago, SteveR said:

Keith, do you have a part number for the front seal on my 37 Plymouth from Cat?

I have a Cat dealer 37 miles away compared to across the pond.

 

By "front seal" do you mean the outer seal for the rear axle? That would be in parts group 3-35-01 and I believe for a 1937 Plymouth your original Chrysler part number would be 891437.

 

1 hour ago, Sniper said:

online cross reference

 

http://www.kakapart.com/search/defaultsearch/2B-1869

 

Maybe of someone has the OEM Chrysler number for the front seal it can be crossed.

 

I was unaware of that parts cross reference web site. Thank you for the link. For the Chrysler part 891437 it shows the following cross reference:

CHRYSLER	891437
SKF	507493
MCCORD	M5797
NATIONAL	5797
SKF	45121L
Fel-Pro	2693
MCCORD	88011

 

It also has this to say:

Quote

 

Descripition:

Inside Diameter: 51.59 mm,2.031 in

Outside Diameter: 105.56 mm,4.156 in

Width: 19.84 mm,0.781 in

 

 

I am not sure about the 1936-42 version of this seal but for the 1933 version it is a seal assembly with a stamped metal carrier and a seal pressed into the carrier. While the whole assembly is not available for 1933 you can get a modern seal of the correct dimensions and replace the one on the carrier. I wrote up that on my web site at https://www.ply33.com/Repair/axle_seal/ You may want to go that route if you have a local to you auto supply store that can get seals by size.

 

[Sniper]

1 hour ago, TodFitch said:

if you have a local to you auto supply store that can get seals by size.

 

A good bearing shop can do that, try an ag supplier.