what'd i f**k up?

[SuperHO]

fought with an axle last night...got it together today after getting the right part...wife drives around and complains that it's smoking...park it and go eat...come home and there's a large puddle of trans fluid on the floor of the garage...help before i light this car on fire...

 

[St Louis SHO]

axle seal

 

[SuperHO]

figured...is that something that can be replaced on jack stands with simple hand tools?

 

[St Louis SHO]

Yup. You might need a seal puller, but other than that, yes.

 

[SuperHO]

God bless you for telling me good news...looks like my wife gets a day off work tommorrow. is there anything i can do to prevent shredding the new one when i go to reinstall the axle again?

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

yeah, be gentle with it.

 

[SuperHO]

So is the axle seal SHO specific or will any gen III/IV seal suffice?

 

[TimboSHO]

So is the axle seal SHO specific or will any gen III/IV seal suffice?

Basically any variant of the AXOD/AX4N/AX4S axle seal will work. They've been the same from 86 until 07 I think.....

Put a little grease (I use wheel bearing grease) on the seal and/or axle when putting the axle back in so it slides in nicely.

 

[mosho93]

I always use a piece of pvc or pipe that is the same diameter as the seal to pound on instead of actually hitting the seal with the hammer. Haven't worked on many Gen 3's, but depending on the amount of room you have, a 2x4 might work as well...

 

[ruWelded]

Autozone sells a Timken output shaft seal for $8.99. Their part number (3622S) If you don't have the proper install tool, I would buy more than one, they bend real easy. Also use a dead blow hammer if you have one, it does not bounce. I have used the PVC pipe trick, but I can't remember the size. Be careful not to scratch the sealing surface when you use the seal puller, pull the metal (the top cap with holes) cover off first.

 

[AREA 91]

Another tip is to use some anerobic sealent on the outter diameter of the seal before installing into the tranny case. I alway's do this. Also check the CV shaft for a burr where the seal rides.

 

[whiteguy3]

^ Correct and correct. Any good lubricant/grease will do. Lithium on the axle will work, brake grease, etc. Typically on the ATX's they do not fail often. Something during the installation probably disturbed/destroyed the seal. Easy fix.

 

[gmail]

it is recommend anytime you remove change a axle to change the seal. unless your making to much power like some people snapping them all the time then you fall under a different section.

just hope with the trans fluid coming out you didnt do any damage. most autotragics do not like low fluid, normally this can cause one to fail very quickly

 

[SuperHO]

i've got grease...what sort of sealant are you talking about? i'm gonna pick up some RTV for my front main on my 95...wil that do? the car was only drippin a lil while driving...my wife parked for an hour and a half and reported no puddle under the car when she left, and i checked when she got home and it wasn't even dripping. i'm guessin it didn't really start puking until everything cooled off and thermal expansion ceased being a factor.

 

[gmail]

i didnt catch what they were talking about with sealant but im assuming they ment when you install the new axle seal use anything really ive use black orange copper it dont matter but i would say black being cheap..
make sure you coat the lip that goes inside the trans case and wipe away excess.. make it a good seal not uneven.

and for gods sake make sure its clean wipe it off spary it whatever you gotta do. then apply grease for where the axle slides in, install axle , fluid etc and your golden

 

[SuperHO]

Well, it appears to be holding...there's some residual cook-off, but nothing like it was. time will tell.