Rear axle seal, 1930

[Clem Smith]

Right rear axle slings gear oil onto inside of wheel rim.

Can axle seal be changed without removing rear end (and spring spreading)?

[Maclab58]

Sorry, but no. I redid the rear on my 31 slant window a few months ago then detonated the ring and pinion gear on my 28 sport coupe a few weeks ago. I'm in the putting back together mode now with new seals, races, bearings and of course ring and pinion gears. The seals are easy to put in. U just have to tear the rearend completely down. Tom Endy has a great tech article on the Orange County Model A club website. Print it out and follow the directions. It's not that hard, just time consuming. Good Luck!

[Kurt in NJ]

The seal in the hub(drum) can be changed without removing the rear end, the internal axle seal needs the rear out and dissambled

The internal seals on my car havn't been any good since before I owned the car(1969), my trans leaks into the rear, it has to be drained ---but the seals in the drum/hub have been holding back the oil even when it is overfilled.

there was a aftermarket seal that fits into the end of the axle housing ---I don't know if it is reproed, I just drain the rear out the fill plug and fill the trans every year--perhaps I don't have problems because I have old type leather seals in my hubs

inside the backing plate there is a grease baffle, that leads to a hole in the bacxking plate with the intention of directing seal leakage outside the backing plate through a hole----when I put mine together I sealed the plate to the backing plate to ensure leakage goes out.

the oil level in the rear should be below the hub/axle level, the hub seal should be able to prevent leakage even if the internal seal is bad---the rear wheel bearing can get lubed with gear oil

[Aok]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

The seal in the hub(drum) can be changed without removing the rear end, the internal axle seal needs the rear out and dissambled

The internal seals on my car havn't been any good since before I owned the car(1969), my trans leaks into the rear, it has to be drained ---but the seals in the drum/hub have been holding back the oil even when it is overfilled.

there was a aftermarket seal that fits into the end of the axle housing ---I don't know if it is reproed, I just drain the rear out the fill plug and fill the trans every year--perhaps I don't have problems because I have old type leather seals in my hubs

inside the backing plate there is a grease baffle, that leads to a hole in the bacxking plate with the intention of directing seal leakage outside the backing plate through a hole----when I put mine together I sealed the plate to the backing plate to ensure leakage goes out.

the oil level in the rear should be below the hub/axle level, the hub seal should be able to prevent leakage even if the internal seal is bad---the rear wheel bearing can get lubed with gear oil

This is a good time for me to further my model A education. From you answer am I correct in assuming the torque tube unlike a drive shaft is hollow and connected to the rear ?

[1931 flamingo]

Yup

Paul in CT

[Tom Endy]

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You can replece the seals without removing the rear axle assembly from the car. You will need a spring spreader. Spread the spring and unhook the left rear shackle. Collapse the spreader and remove it. Unbolt the left axle housing (10 bolts). Remove the bolt that atttaches the two radius rods at the front of the torque tube. Unhook the brake rods on the left side. Remove the left radius rod. Remove the right brake drum and the axle key. The entire assembly that includes both axles, ring gear, carrier, and spyder gear assembly can be pulled out from the left and set aside. Knock the seals out of both axle housings with a screw driver. New seals can be inserted in both sides with an insertion tool on the end of a three foot length of pipe.

Many broken axles have been replaced in this manner. Be sure to install the same thickness of banjo gasket on the left side in order to maintain the carrier pre-load, if one is actually still there.

The seals are grease seals and they are meant to direct wheel bearing grease from the grease fitting outboard to the wheel bearings. They are not there to keep differntial oil from getting to the brakes. If oil is reaching the brakes the banjo has been either over-filled or is over-filling from a leaking seal on a Borge Warner overdrive. Most BW conversions use the same Ford grease seal that is meant to hold back grease, not oil.

Tom Endy