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1930 Chrysler


Tim Wolfe

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Haven't been able to find new outer axle seals for our model 70 coupe, so I'm having some seal housings made at a local machine shop. Mine leaked and ruined the brake linings on the real axle. I had a set of reproduction seals on the car and the mounting holes were out of line with the center of the modern seal and caused them to leak.

Chrysler part number for original seals 304009    Victor seal # 26031.

Anyone else have the same problem?

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I had a local shop make me new ones out of the old using modern "circlip" seals with correct inner diameter and adapted to the outer. Believe I got the idea from these pages? And it works, however the company is very slow to deliver (measured in years). Modern version to the left.

CR 1705 18 Avansert rep CR-II (2).jpg

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My understanding is that these were primarily intended to retain the grease in the axle bearings, and to prevent road dirt/dust from getting into the axle bearing area. Mine are similar, a leather seal backed by a circular spring, still seem to work just fine after 90 years. As Spinneyhill suggests, most common sources of oil in the brake shoe area was caused by differential oil getting by the inner seal, or brake fluid from a leaking wheel cylinder. While rear-ends were only filled to the plug level, when heated up if there was no pressure relief, oil could be forced out thru inner seal into bearing area and into shoe area. I don't know if inner seals are readily available, I will likely replace mine on my Chrysler CD8 project.

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I plan on replacing the inner seals also. I have located some nos outer seals and a couple inner seals. The outer seals are very hard and I'll have to try to soften them. Anyone a replacement seal for a National Seal # 5156   or Victor # 26031, they replaced the Chrysler inner seal. I want to use modern inner seals if I can find them. I will be replacing the brake linings too.

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What is the Chrysler part number for the inner seal?

 

1930 Dodge Brothers 8 was 43049 I think. The felt on its own was 43050. The replacement was bought by size rather than number, in fact it didn't have a seal number. It is an NAK 1.375x2.313x0.437 double lip with spring and "rubber" outer, 12 NZD plus shipping.

 

Neither Timken nor SKF list a seal that size. Neither company's interchange guide lists the National or Victor numbers you have given.

Edited by Spinneyhill (see edit history)
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Sounds different to mine. Probably bigger. Neither Timken nor SKF list an interchange for that seal number.

 

I measured what I removed (axle dia. and seal dia. = bore size) and used the telephone to find the seal. I spoke to a company in Auckland and it came from their New Plymouth branch. Let your fingers do the walking!

 

I used a slide hammer puller to remove it, with the smallest two fingers in the set. You 1st need to remove the inner bearing cup the same way. The seal will be destroyed but you might be able to measure it.

 

If the sealing surface on the axle is not smooth, you will have to make it so. I fitted a sleeve. There are several brands of them - Speedy, Kwik, Wear-Pro etc..

 

While in there, find out why it failed. It usually takes lateral movement. And fix that failure.

 

When I took the drum off, the nut was basically loose. I had tightened it to >140 lb.ft a few years ago (me hopping on the bar). I found the outer cone was turning on the axle, meaning the axle was worn. Before I started, I had lateral movement of the wheel. Thinking back, I had trouble with that wheel 20+ years ago when the keyway was slogged out in the axle - there was a "clonk" on changing direction. These things were probably all inter-related. I replaced the axle to correct the wear but the NOS axle was a bit pitted, hence the sleeve on the sealing surface.

Edited by Spinneyhill (see edit history)
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52 minutes ago, Tim Wolfe said:

Chrysler # 304004  Might have to wait until I remove the leaking seal and take it to a bearing company to match it up ( Bearings Inc. )

Felpro catalogue 1940 lists the Chry 70 rear inner seal as 304012 and the outer as 304004. Their interchange was S2519.  The size of that is 1.500 x 2.703 x 13/32.

 

Timken's nearest is for bore 2.716", a bit big. SKF's is the same. So you need another brand, as I did.

 

You need to confirm these numbers. The size it gives for the Dodge 8 seal is not what I found that fitted!

Edited by Spinneyhill (see edit history)
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Thanks for the input. I was an assembly foreman before I retired. One of my departments built the clutch and driveshaft assemblies for large metal forming presses, and the gearboxes for right angle drives. I feel comfortable that I can rebuild the axle after I locate the parts. Wouldn't good prints be great !!??  Again, thanks for the input, any experience and knowledge is appreciated. A friend in the Northeast gave me the seal information.

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Xclnt. You are onto it then. The size given is for a felt seal so the ID is probably smaller than you might use for a modern seal. The Dodge ID given is 1-7/32 which is a bit less than 1-3/8! There is thus a bit of crush in the felt seal. That OD also is probably seal OD. Bore size is probably about 0.008" less.

Edited by Spinneyhill (see edit history)
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Well, I have good news! The grease was from a poor fitting outer axle seal and not the inner seals. The eight mounting holes were out of line with the center of the seal. The metal of the seal was rubbing the hub so hard that the rubber seal was pushed way up and letting the grease leak. Do not buy the pressed out sheet metal bearing housing that have a lip seal in them, buy ones turned on a lathe so everything is concentric. I was lucky enough to find a few NOS outer seals for the car so I won't have to have new housings turned. ( unless I can't get the NOS rubber seals to soften up! )  Thanks to all for the input and advice .

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  • 4 weeks later...
2 hours ago, Dave Fields said:

Consider pumping in grease to thicken the viscosity of the differential oil. I know early brass owners use this trick.

Let's think about this.  Any "grease" (today's definition) channels and is pushed away from the gears unless it is --and remains--completely mixed with "oil."  Bear in mind that "axle grease" as specified in pre-1930 (essentially, for non-hypoid) differentials was really not grease as we define it today but rather a heavy oil commonly known as 600W--the dark, smelly, viscous stuff.

 

Today Restoration Supply sells a modern ISO 1500 "Meropa" gear oil suitable for heavily loaded gearbox application.  I use it in the diff of my 1918 Pierce because of the leaky felt seal that will require a lot of time and effort to fix.  There are also modern ISO 480 and -680 oils designed for gearboxes; I use the 480 in that car's transmission.  Given the availability of these modern gear oils, I don't think it wise to add (today's) grease to differential or transmission oil.

 

Additionally, it has been pointed out in these fora that if one installs lip seals on a pre-1930 differential, one should add a vent--because the felt seals served the essential purpose of letting air and pressure in and out.  The lip seals seal too well and then a vent is required. 

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