Passanger Rear Axle Seal Leaking?

paint94979

Beer Nazi
Sep 18, 2006
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The dyno operator told me this weekend that my rear axle seal is leaking. I got a few pictures of what it looks like. What needs to be done?
 

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Vrabel

TOYAHOLIC
May 22, 2008
3,434
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Hewitt, NJ
Remove Brakes, remove bolts on axle flange, slide out axle & wipe off so you dont have a big drip mess. lay it flat so ya dont knock it over. Its been 3yrs, cant remember exactly whats needed to remove bearing nut, remove hub and change seal like you would on an rwd front rotor. check your bearings and races before you put it together. while your at it, if you got a die grinder handy and you got a big rust lip on outer edge of inner park brake drum, clean it up holding die grinder on angle. (you may want to wear a dust mask)
 

Whitetail Addict

Rockin' the stock tune
May 8, 2008
2,350
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South Central Pennsylvania
Two different seals - Sikdmax yours is an axle flange seal....Paint yours is an inner hub seal.

Inner is an easy fix....I did both of mine in the back....you will need the gm hub socket not sure the exact part #...it has teeth that stick in the slots on the round nut iirc.

Basically pull wheel off, pull the axle out, (1&2 can be done reverse) pull rotor off, pull the snap ring that holds the nut key, pull the key, take the nut off, pull hub off, knock seal out (use GM seal as aftermarket is two piece iirc) put new seal in and reassemble.....be sure to get the torque specs from GM, its one of those you have to spin as you tighten and then back off until the key lines up....also get plenty of brake clean to clean the e-brake shoes and rotor/e-brake drum.

If you need the GM part #s I could dig them up.
 
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juddski88

Freedom Diesel
Jul 1, 2008
4,651
116
63
Chesterfield, Mass.
All I did when mine was leaking was undo the 8 bolts on the end, take the cap off, clean and seal with RTV silicone and put back.
teh 04 has gone through both inner seals and the outer gasket that you are talking bout matt, the outer gasket is paper and usually leaks because of catching sudden traction and loosening the 8 bolts on the hub. the inner seal and bearing on mine siezed and broke 2 yrs ago, luckily i noticed before our first sled pull:)
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,322
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Mid Michigan
NAPA sells a Fel-Pro metal gasket for the axle shaft flange, part number 55350.
 

FMOS

Hard Up
Nov 19, 2008
352
0
0
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
I did mine with out any special tools. Undo those 8 bolts, I'm pretty sure you then take off some sort of keeper that keeps a woodruff key in that nut, then the nut backs off fairly easy. I used a screw driver and hooked the old seal, ripped it out, greased up the new one and pressed it in nicely. Then you can use the nut as your putting it back on to press the seal back in straight. I'm sure there is a specification, but I just tightened that nut to snug and put it all back together.

Don't want it too tight or you'll have a hot bearing that seizes up. Too loose and it wears out quickly.
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
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Look up "W1270 socket" on Google. Its a 6-tab spindle socket, about 2-5/8" wide. Tighten the hub nut to 52ft/lbs while you spin the rotor the opposite direction. Back off axle nut slightly, and tighten ONLY til the nut touches the bearing or finger tight, whichever lines up the keyway first. Install the key and the little keyway keeper, and install the axle.


I keep reading that the 8 bolts on the axle flange have to be torqued to 148ft/lbs.....anyone confirm?
 
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rossi

New member
Jun 10, 2009
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leaky seal

I took it to my 2004 to my mechaninc the other day same thing fluid all over the rim. He says it will take an hour and a half to change. He claims that the brake calipper is very hard to get off and not even to try myself any truth to that or is he just trying to make money.
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
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So if the mechanic says it will take an hour and a half, how long will it take Nick??:D My guess is 3 days.:rofl:

FWIW, I'd just take it in Nick.
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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I took it to my 2004 to my mechaninc the other day same thing fluid all over the rim. He says it will take an hour and a half to change. He claims that the brake calipper is very hard to get off and not even to try myself any truth to that or is he just trying to make money.
It's not impossible, but it can be difficult. Rather than taking the caliper slide bolts out, take the caliper bracket bolts out (that bolt the bracket to the axle). It is much less hassle.
 

whitetrash21

put on da damn helmet day
Apr 29, 2008
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Vegas
Dont let it go too long. I did and the leaking fluids ruined my brake pads and ebrake shoes.... cant just replace one side then, gotta replace both. Get it done asap.... :)
 

paint94979

Beer Nazi
Sep 18, 2006
11,714
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So if the mechanic says it will take an hour and a half, how long will it take Nick??:D My guess is 3 days.:rofl:

FWIW, I'd just take it in Nick.

LOL i haven't worried about it since i found out back in February that it was leaking LOL. My pass side valve cover is also leaking a little bit. :spit:
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,322
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Mid Michigan
Id say an hour-1/2 is accurate for the first one as you see what all has to be done. You'd be much faster on the second, IMO. I highly recommend you do both while you're there unless you're pressed for time.
 
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FMOS

Hard Up
Nov 19, 2008
352
0
0
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
I definitely would not take the truck in to do this job.

It can be done by a complete idiot in 2 hours. Like mentioned before, take the wheel off, take the caliper and rotor off, undo those 8 bolts on the hub, pull the axle out, take out the woodruff key and undo the nut, yank the old seal out, press the new one in straight, put the nut back on barely snug, put the locking key in, put the axle back in (I reused the paper flange seal), put the rotor and caliper back on and the wheel and your done.

Very easy job. I think you'll need a 16 or 18mm wrench for the caliper, a 14mm for the axle bolts and an assortment of screwdrivers to get the old seal out/spin off the nut.