Oil seals Rear Axle 1969 Van

[pertwoodpie]

Hello need some advice before I dive in for a second time!
Few months back replaced one rear oil seal and paper gasket, seemed to do the trick.
More recently I replaced springs, bushes and shocks ubolts on the axle, all ok until back axle shifted a bit...lesson to here is after all bedded in to check the tension on u bolts and tighten! So few week ends ago sorted out position of axle, topped up oil. the prop was teling me it was out of balance, hence sticking head under van and oh dear!
In the process of doing so noticed oil coming out of hub, remove only to find the new oil seal had gone, decided to look at the other side and this had done it too!
So my question is why...a friend has come up with one theory, but before I share this with you all and replace everything again I need to be sure it's not going to leak again and ruin yet another set of brake shoes!

thanks

Marcus

[bmcecosse]

The axle could be overfilled - and/or the breather could be blocked.

[taupe]

Perhaps you put the seals in the wrong way round or damaged them when fitting?

[pertwoodpie]

no checked the breather this is clear and the oil level was low so now topped this up.
Oil seal no damaged and fitted correctly but this doesn't expain why they have both now gone when only on replaced??
thanks for suggestions so far.

Marcus

[bmcecosse]

The seals may have cut a groove in the axle tube. There are little drain holes in the backplate to allow any oil that seeps past the seal to escape out the back of the backplate. Check they are clear.......

[taupe]

If the seals are undamaged perhaps the leak is from the halfshaft flange/gasket and not the hub seal....can you see where the oil is coming from?

[bmcecosse]

As long as the wheels are on/tight - there really can't be any leak from the flange - assuming the gaskets are not torn .

[pertwoodpie]

hum the oil has ruined the brake shoes if this helps! the gaskets were brand new and in good order, cant recall if we did both sides the old grey matter can't think but defn the side we replaced the oil seal.
thanks
Marcus

[Andy Rose]

Did you replace the o rings??

[bmcecosse]

Only later axles have the O ring - but the paper gasket is entirely adequate provided the wheels are on to grip the half-shaft to the hub face - assuming the mating faces are not distorted or damaged. Any oil escaping from the rear seal area should escape out the 'leak' holes in the backplate - IF they are clear - so avoiding the shoes. Obviously this can't cope with a 'flood' -but why would there be a flood???

[Andy Rose]

Why I asked about if the o rings were replaced, is that when I put a seal and bearing kit on both sides of my 1970 van, the relacement o rings were a bit too large in circumference. I had to be very careful to make sure they stayed put in the groove while I slid the half shaft back in. The first time, the o ring moved and was pinched bettween the sealing surface.. Having said that.. for my money, I feel the oil seals may have been placed in backwards. They will seal for a short time but the oil, when the axle was lifted and tipped from the horizontal while resetting the u bolts, would flood past the wrongly positioned seal. remember, Murphy was an optimist