Axle seal installation question
 

After finding the notorious leaking seal on the driver's side recently, I ordered new brakes, seals, o-rings and a few other parts from Texas Toyota. I purchased two of the axle seals because the other side is guaranteed to fail a week after doing the first one....

Anyway, does anyone know how deep the seal is driven into the housing? If it goes in quite a bit, why not insert two seals? I need to take a look in my shop manual, but thought this may be a possibility to ensure success. I presume the housing has a ridge inside which limits how far the seal is inserted. If not, I'll measure the insertion depth with calipers.

Andreas

it pretty much fits flush with the flange. no way you can fit two in there...nor would i try it. just make sure you seat it flush, use a 2X4 wood & a hammer n tap it in nice n flush. the seal itself is between 1/4" & 3/8" deep from what i remember.

if youre doing one side...i'd do the other side as well since you've got the brake lines apart. no point in doing just the one side...

Sonny,
Thanks. It was worth a try though :)

Andreas

I bent my first seal, so I decided to make a tool to seat it correctly.

You can get some washers the same diameter of the inside of the seal and the outside of the seal. Layer them correctly, and tighten down to a long bolt. Use this to tap in the seal.

Couldnt see how two seals would fit.

Good luck dude.

I have a seal driver set, so I'll make sure to seat it nice and square.

Andreas

You are probly going to use both on one side. I bent two, and got the third right ( after freezing it for long enough). There is nothing to hold a second one in.

I just did one not too long ago. From what I have read here, if the fluid got to your brakes, it ruined and got passed your sealed bearing. Better buy a couple bearings too and have them installed. I just did the seal because I couldn't afford the labor for the bearings, and I haven't noticed anything wrong yet though.

just my .02

If you don't drive the seal in perfectly square the back side will kink and it will leak around the metal part.

Here is a trick for those that do not have the proper seal driver for trucks with ABS. Put the seal onto the axle and then reinstall the axle carefully. Tight down all the nuts nice and even until the axle assembly is all the way against the axle housing. Then remove the axle and tap the seal in just a hair more so it will not rub on the ABS ring. Done. It is really hard to start it in crooked that way...

Gadget

Great tip. I'll have to try that next time. Even with a proper seal driver, I ruined two seals before getting one in straight!

I just used a scrap block of wood, which works pretty well to tap it in. Regardless, live and learn.

I will tackle this mess as soon as my garage heater comes in. :fire:

Andreas