Mike,
The hub is easy. I`ve gotten away with it plenty times. If you haven`t
overfilled the differential, usually an oil leak occurs from the paper gasket.
The original gaskets were about twice as thick as the replacements, so I use
two. Sealant on both sides doesn`t hurt, either. Clean the facing surfaces
well before installing new gaskets. While you have the gasket off, go ahead
and replace the O ring, which is likely squashed or rotten.
To get to the gaskets (and rest of the stuff, if you want to go that far)
pull the drum and take out the single posi drive screw that retains the axel
flange to the hub. Slide out the shaft. You might have to use a blade to break
the seal between the flange and hub. No need to remove the shoes or anything
else. Just clean up the oily shoes with brake cleaner and sandpaper. If you
are going for the grease seal, you got to remove the hub. First work back the
tab washer. Use a chisel or something. Then, use a 7/8" socket to remove the
nut. Watch out--the L side comes off contrary, CW. You`ll see. Now use a
puller to get the hub off, covering the hole of the axel with a thick washer.
I found it helpful to put the nut back on the threads with a washer or socket
over it to keep the screw of the puller from spreading the flange. That would
be real bad. . .Real bad.
So, you then got to get out the bearing. Use a soft punch, working around
the outer race from the back. Don`t just hit one side or it`ll get stuck. It
will probably pop out without trouble. The seal has a metal ring hiding
inside the rubber. It`s not going to want to come out without a fight. Get it
from the back with a small screwdriver at the joint, tapping with a hammer. Be
careful not to damage the sealing surface. You will not enjoy this part.
Patience pays off here. Just don`t leave that darned metal ring in there or
the new seal won`t fit.
Clean everything up real good. Last thing you need is grit in the bearing.
Pack the bearing with grease. Better to replace it. Forget trying to get the
bearing and seal back in yourself. One false move and they go in crooked,
which is to be avoided at all cost. Yeah, maybe I can get the seal back with a
tool I rigged for that purpose just to say I did it, but it`s better to take
the thing to a machine shop with a press. Ten minute job for them. Cusser for
you. Maybe a few bucks get you off easy. The seal goes with the lip toward
the inside. Bearing is non-directional.
Use a hammer and socket that fits on the inner bearing race to gently tap
the hub back on. Finish up by tightening the nut, which will seat the thing
if the tapping didn`t. Don`t forget the washer. Use a knife blade first to
work the tab over. Finish getting it over with a chisel and hammer. That
part`s not as easy as it sounds.
While you got the whole thing off is a good time to do the brake job, if it
needs one. ( On the later cars the wheel cylinder is a lot easier to install
with the backplate removed.)
Don`t forget to replace that posidrive screw. Better to make sure the
screw hole lines up before yoy get the sticky stuff on the gaskets.
If in doing all this you found that the bearing was loose in the hub, so
that you think yoy didn`t need the machine shop pressafter all, that was
likely why it was leaking in the first place. Use a sealing compound to hold
the outer race in the hub, but it won`t last. Start looking for a new hub.
Cheers...
Bert Shirey
60 Bugeye
66 Midget II
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