Rear Axle Oil?Leak

Post by **Gareth** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 7:28 pm

Sounds like it's the oil seal on the rear wheel. The drum and brake assembly will need to come off, and the seal around the halfshaft replaced. You'll need to replace the brake pads, too, because they'll likely have been contaminated...

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 2:03 pm

check the oil level in the diff. it may have been over filled. it little difficult to do. there is a tiny drain hole in the axle casing, near the hub, which allows oil to pass out, partically if on a step angle. try it again and see if any more oil comes out.. otherwise gareth is right, and there's a huge nut to undo

Post by **Gareth** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 2:55 pm

Really?! I didn't know there was a drain hole down there...!

Also, if you're not careful when taking off the rear brake drums it is possible (but only with the use of a very large hammer, I might add...) to distort the drum mounting flange, and in turn, the felt seal between the hub - that can cause some weepage, too.

Post by **Willie** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 3:49 pm

What felt seal Gareth? I don't know of a felt seal in a rear
hub.
As suggested, check the axle oil level,if it is not low then the
'oil' may be brake fluid.......check the brake fluid level under
the carpet on the drivers side...it could save your life Before all that check that
the rear axle breather is not blocked(the plastic end just
snaps off for cleaning).

Post by **MrA.Series** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 3:54 pm

He says it's not brake fluid

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 6:16 pm

theres 1 each side. on the lower side of the axle very near the hub. if i remember correctly they are on the inside of the back plate, seams a strange place to put them, but there there. about a 2 mm hole very near the hub.

Post by **Gareth** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 7:40 pm

Hmm... interesting.

Willie, I thought there was a felt/paper/vellum/whatever seal around the hub flanges, although I could be very wrong... Especially as I've never had my axle apart

- that would be a bridge too far, I reckon! It's as much as I can do to change the oil...

Post by **Willie** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 7:59 pm

You've been lucky ,let's hope you never need to take yours
apart. There is a rubber oil seal INBOARD of the wheel
bearing, a paper gasket on the half shaft flange, and,on
later cars, there is also a thin rubber ring on the half shaft
flange as well as the paper gasket. This ring can only be
fitted to the flanges which have a groove machined to
accept it. Not suitable for the earlier type. When you
take off a brake drum there is then only ONE screw holding
the half shaft in contact with the hub so check that it is tight.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 8:05 pm

sandyallen you may find that getting a suitable sized cross head screwdriver and tighterning the above mentioned screw very tight and then the 2 drum screws tight it may stop it. try fitting a couple of paper gaskets

Post by **Gareth** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 8:07 pm

a paper gasket on the half shaft flange

Ah, there we are. Thought it was something like that... Thanks, Willie, I can stop worrying about it now. ;)

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 8:13 pm

the 2 brake drum screws also pull the halfshaft in.

Post by **les** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 9:07 pm

It is not a good idea to fit two paper gaskets instead of one, you loose the required pre-load on the hub bearing! This is important.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 9:21 pm

1 tiny shim of paper?

Post by **les** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 9:40 pm

Yes! Read your manual.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 9:45 pm

its just that they are all done up with differents tightness, and varying types of paper degenarition and thickness. some packed with gasket seal. i understand how it works, judging by what ive seen it dosent seam to matter much

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 9:52 pm

ive noticed mayb 3 different types /thickness of paper gasket supplied

Post by **les** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 10:06 pm

It's a sad fact of life that people do all sorts of things when it comes to engineering, I was just pointing out what I considered to be the correct approach.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 10:19 pm

morris must have had trouble with this, hence the o ring addition. what we need to do is get as much packing in there, but keeping the half shaft in the same position. how does an impact screwdriver sound

Post by **les** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 10:27 pm

Clean surfaces, new gasket ( no goo), new 'o' ring, tightened single screw plus the even pressure when the wheel nuts are tightened correctly = no leaks!