Tips on installing inner and outer axle seals.

I have a axle seal leaking. I have never had to replace any of my 8 3/4 axle seals before. Do you guys and gals have and tips on removing and reinstalling these seals? Looks like the inner seal may be a ways in the axle tube.

Search for the thread by @threewood. He has a great methodical how to on this.

Looks like threewood only replaced the outer seals not the inner.

I've just done mine (one side) - following the thread above and the FSM. It was pretty straightforward but take care when installing the inner seal. I tried using a piece of PVC pipe to knock it in but ended up damaging the seal as the pipe wasn't pushing the seal in evenly and the outer casing became dented. I then bought a proper installation tool and it went in fine. There is a small ridge to stop it going in too far but I measured the old seal depth beforehand and then went slowly, checking it was in square. If you whack it too hard or too aggressively you could knock it over the ridge or bend the outer casing of the seal. I'd bought the whole kit from Dr Diff with bearings and gaskets so I used the 2nd seal on the leaking side (driver's side) and I now need to buy one more inner seal to replace the one I damaged before I do the other side.
I set the end play by feel rather than a dial indicator (I haven't got one) - it was the first time the rear end has been looked at since I had the car and the end play was huge. I set it to just a smidge (0.008 - 0.016" I think) and now the feint whining noise I used to have at about 40 mph has gone away which is a bonus.

68383GTS said:

Looks like threewood only replaced the outer seals not the inner.

Click to expand...

I haven't tracked down the thread but chances are he replaced the inner seal.. To replace the outer seal you need to press off and replace the axle bearing... The outer seal is a grease seal to keep the grease in the axle bearing & keep dirt out of the bearing....

The inner seal keeps the gear oil in, it's common the replace the inner seal, clean & repack the axle bearings & trust the outer seal to do it's job when there is no longer oil trying to pass through it...

The yellow arrow pointing to the step where the seal stops. You will feel it stop. Good idea above to measure how deep the seal is in from the end.

get something that is close to the same OD as the seal to pound on so you don’t bend the seal. Put some grease on the inside at the spring to keep it from popping off the seal when punding on it.

The outer seal and bearings can be pressed off, but you can also cut notches in the collar and then hit it with a cold chisel. Once the collar is off I cut another notch in the bearing casing, cut the bearing cage with sidecutters and pulled out all the bearings with some long nosed pliers. You then cut a notch in the inner race and use the chisel again. I used a piece of rubber zip-tied around the axle to avoid damaging it if the cutting tool (I used a dremel) or chisel slips. Once it's all off you can seat the new bearings and collar either by press, or use a piece of heavy pipe as a reverse slide hammer and whack them on. I gently heated them up first and they went on with 5 or 6 heavy hits of the pipe. Just use some sort of support (an anvil or similar) on the other end that acts on the centre of the axle only and not the studs that hold the axle in.
All the above, with photos is in threewood's thread, which is a sticky.