Gear lube leaking from hub

[sjuengst]

Recently, I put the car up on jackstands to change the transmission and differential oil. I noticed that the brakes were dragging on the passenger's side rear wheel. I decided to take the wheel off to get to the brake adjuster screw. Since it was such a PITA getting this low-slung car up on jackstands, I knocked off the hub while in the air, using one of those wooden knock-off wrench/dog-ear things. That all went smoothly, but a couple of days later I noticed gear oil leaking from the brake drum. Closer inspection shows it coming from between the axle shaft and hub.

It wasn't leaking before ... is it possible that I damaged the oil seal by hammering on the knockoff while the wheel was unsupported?

In any case, I've ordered a new oil seal and gaskets. Are there any special tricks to installing them? Is the oil seal a press-fit, or will I be able to install it by hand?

Thanks,

stu

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Stu, You'll need the special octagonal socket to remove the big nut , a slide hammer to pull the hub off, and a press to take the bearing out to replace the seal. I'd make sure it was leaking from the seal though and not just the axle to hub gasket though. Kevin

 

[TimK]

Regarding "knocking off" the knock off while jacked up -- that is the recommended method. Apparently it avoids stressing the spokes with the hammer blows.

 

[BoyRacer]

Stu,
You have not damaged the seal. Do not remove the big octagonal nut. The leak is coming from the axle flange to hub mating surface. There is a paper gasket there. There is also a screw that goes through the axle flange into the hub and is supposed to keep things nipped up when you remove the wheel. Those screws routinely come loose.
The rear hubs seals almost never leak, no matter how worn because the differential oil is so heavy.

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Stu,
Agree with what Richard says above. Put in new paper washers, liberally coat them with a oil resistant permatex type gasket goo, and make sure those screws are tight. Seem to recall there are two per hub but could be wrong there. If there are and you are missing one, Moss carries them.
Regards,
Mike

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Actually with wire wheels remember , the five locking nuts holding the hub on are actually drawing everything together , the wheel being tight or loose would have no effect on an oil leak from the flange or the hub. The philips screw holding the axle to the flange needn't be especially tight. You'll still need to remove the five nuts holding the hub on, then the screws holding the drum You should be able to see where the leak is coming from after you take the drum off . Kevin

 

[BoyRacer]

Kevin, You are correct! I keep forgetting about wire wheels. When you remove a bolt on wheel it releases the clamping force on the hub and axle flange. With a wire wheel the hub is always bolted up tightly. Because my race car has alloy wheels, every time I unbolt a rear wheel, it releases the clamping force on the rear hub and axle flange - and because I use synthetic oil in the diff - it wants to leak.
Richard

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Richard, I figured you were running disc wheels ! Kevin

 

[sjuengst]

Actually with wire wheels remember , the five locking nuts holding the hub on are actually drawing everything together

That's good news! I had removed the knockoff hub and brake drum to inspect the brakes, so hopefully once I reassemble everything it won't be leaking anymore. I thought something was broken, but from what you're saying it sounds like it's normal.

Thanks,

stu