rear axle question

[Garry Fincher]

If not hydraulic pressure what would cause a seal to pop back out like that? Could it be a small amout of trapped air compressing behind the seal? then it is pnuematic pressure.
Either way something is causing it and physics has a simple way of making things happen, you just need to work out what it is. F=PxA.

Garry

[Carsten]

Well, i assure you, it did happen!

I can never be certain that the seal was seated completely, because:

1. I wasn't able to get my head inside the differential housing to check the seal along it's entire circumference
2. I wasn't able to get my head inside the axle tubing to check the seal along it's entire circumference

From what i could see and feel, the seal was seated as it should, but given the fact that i was only able to see a part of the seals edge, it could be that the seal wasn't seated 100% in one side (the side i couldn't inspect)! In combination with the wet sealant acting as a lubricant, this might have forced the, by nature, slightly larger seal out of it's seat! And yes, the seal had it's face pointing outwards and the lip of the rubber pointing inwards!!

Why i didn't manage to seat the seal properly twice, i don't know, but by my imagination it shouldn't be off by very much, perhaps less than 1 mm, for the seal to pop, when combined with that gooey sealant! I was very aware of getting the seat cleaned thoroughly with both a small wirebrush and a rag with brake cleaner, before adding the seal, so i guarantee that it didn't happen because of dirt or anything in the seat, preventing the seal from seating!

Anyway, let me repeat myself:

One should not use sealant on plastic covered seals
One should not use sealant on plastic covered seals
One should not use sealant on plastic covered seals
One should not use sealant on plastic covered seals
One should not use sealant on plastic covered seals
One should not use sealant on plastic covered seals
x 100!

[iron duck]

Hi Carsten,

Next time you could use this simple tool for installing the seals.








It is designed to use a long shaft trough the axle tubings.
But the seals slide in so easilly that the use from a hamer inside the diff housing directly on this tool does the job.
That way you can see what happens all the time, and correct if the seal wants to go out of line with the seat.

Kind regards, Luc

[Garry Fincher]

Interesting thread, I have learnt a lot from this and given the drops of oil on my rear passenger wheel rim, I may need it.
Thanks to BradM for kicking it off.

Garry