Quote:
Originally Posted by Short 3/4
Well now you guys have me (over?) thinking about this whole seal or no seal thing. While I still stand by my original thought that it probably doesn’t matter either way, Jeff brought up a really interesting theory. It all made sense until I realized that the knuckle fill hole is about at the center of the axle shaft, so the analogy would be more like constantly dipping the paint brush into a can of paint, not spinning it dry. This would force grease in with every rotation.
While I don’t have access to part numbers to prove it, I’m thinking that the same u joint is used for both open and closed knuckles and you simply leave the seal on for open (to retain grease) and remove it for closed (to replenish the grease). It makes sense to me, but if not the case, please let me know as I’m here to learn, not preach.
On another subject, I hope you know to replace the oil seals just outboard of the pumpkin. It’s a real PITA but needs to be done while you’re in there, as they are probably original and will cause no end of problems if they start leaking.
Keep up the great work
Tom
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Hmm.....now I am rethinking it as well. I don't think it can hurt either way really. If the seals are left off, then it should recieve lubrication as long as the knuckle cavity is full. With the seals on, it never needs lubrication (just like the ones that are in drive lines and such any more). I am tending towards just leaving the seals on and using the lubricant in the joint to keep the knuckle bearings lubricated if anything.
Yeah, I am replacing the inner axle seals. I pulled the carrier out the other day and noticed that the seals were crumbling apart. The nice thing about the older carrier setups is that the shims are between the carrier and the bearing and not the bearing and the housing. So reassembly will be a piece of cake. I would imagine that initial setup for preload and backlash would be a pain though.
Clay