How do u get the oil seal out ???

[Manuel]

Hi,

How do u get the oil seal out of a 1933-34 Dodge rear axle?

Thanks,

Manuel in Oz

[JACK M]

I have a seal puller that has two reversed jaws and is on a slide hammer. You could also drill a small hole in the rim and put a screw in it and pull it out with a pair of pliers.

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Manuel- which seal are you referring to?

[Manuel]

Jack,

I tried some jaws but they couldn't get a good grip. They just mangled it as the sides are small and soft.

Dr Joe,

Its the inner felt/leather oil seal.

I managed to get a NOS replacement but it seems sooo tight. Which leads me to ask:

How do u get the new one in without damaging it???

AND

Is there a modern replacement???

Thanks for your help fellas.

Manuel in Oz

[JACK M]

The more it gets mangled the easier it should be to come out. Use a piece of pipe (or wood) that is the correct diameter and a not to big of a hammer to put the new one in. It is usually very difficult to install one by just tapping it in there. I was replacing a seal recently that I had to tear up pretty bad to get out and found that there was still another piece almost impossible to see that was still lining the bore. Use a caliper to measure both the OD of the seal and the ID of the bore. Twice.

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Manuel,if this is a NOS seal with leather, and not a modern neoprene replacement, you need to soak that puppy in oil for 24 hrs before attempting to install it.

[Guest imported_woodwheels]

Manuel; For the work on these rear axles several special tools were used to deal with the depth the opposed tapered bearings on the shaft created to get to the inner seal. The seal puller had 4 not 2 fingers that were tightened as a cone was drawn back towards the operator. Modern slide hammer pullers are not designed to work at the depth into the axle housing that the inner oil seal is located. keeping the fingers tight behind the old seal is essential. Your difficulty pulling is common, destroying the old seal in the removal process is going to happen. Persistance and care not to damage the inner race is your only answer.

Also because of the location depth of the seal a long shaft drift was used to install the seal. The handle of the drift protruded about 8" past the end of the housing. There was a very thick washer type bushing about 1/2" from the work end of the drift, the same outside diameter -1/32" of the new seal. The last part of the drift was larger in diameter than the rest of the shaft to match the inside diameter of the seal. Thus the new seal was tightly placed on the end of the drift and put into place and swated into place sguarely. Again the depth of the location makes this a more difficult job than most.

Did you examine the axle shaft end play before you remover the axle? The correct amount of end play is .0025 - .005. This is set by shims behind the inner race. When installing the outer race do not tap it in further than the housing. Are the outer seals also new? When all is done grease the fittings on the under side of the housing with a bearing grease not chassis grease.

Outer seals are easier to find than inner seals for your rear end. Both are available. It is good advice to soak the old type seals before installing. This design of axle shaft was replaced for the 1936 Dodge/Plymouth automobile, therefore these inner seals are rarer. Do you need help finding them?

Jim Cook

'33 DP technical advisor

Dodge Brothers Club

[Manuel]

Thanks Jim.

That was terrific. I will print it out.

I would love to find some of those magic old tools.

Cheers,

Manuel in Oz