LR Wheel Seal Leaking

Shawn T · February 27, 2006

(truck in sig)

GMTech,

I have a LR wheel seal leaking fluid and it is like a centrafuge spinning it all over the wheel, inner fender, brake rotor, and caliper. I have changed a seal on a half ton once and it was kind of combersome. With a full floating axle, can I just remove the inner axle from the hub end? If I remember right, on the half ton, I had to open the rear diff and remove a clip. Do I have to re-pack the wheel bearings? Can you give me some instruction or PM me?

Shawn T · March 1, 2006

bump

Shawn T · March 20, 2006

One more time. I thought this would get some responses. Is it really that rare of a fix that no one, not even a tech, can help? I am desperate. I have asked every local mechanic, including the local GM tech. No one has done a rear seal on a GM full floater for years. I guess my main concerns are these: What kind of spanner wrench do I need for the spanner nut? I know older GM trucks used a two-toothed nut, washer with holes over another nut with a nipple on it. Wow that sounded like a border-line porn description. The other concern is the park brake assembly. I know with rear disks that is is a seperate "hat" brake. Is is attached to the rotor, and if so, does it have to be removed. I made an appointment with the service dep to have it done on Friday. If I can save some coin by doing it myself I will. If the spanner socket is going to be expensive and I need a puller then I will just let them do it. That is my dilema. All I need is some resolve.

Wingnut · March 21, 2006

Wow, I figured this would have been more common as well.

GM-Tech · March 21, 2006

The axle is not retained by a clip like the smaller axles. The bolts that ring the axle flange are what hold it in. Remove the axle, remove the retainer for the hub and the whole hub assembly comes off. You don't pack the bearings. They're lubed by the axle lube that currently leaking out all over the place.

Shawn T · March 21, 2006

The axle is not retained by a clip like the smaller axles. The bolts that ring the axle flange are what hold it in. Remove the axle, remove the retainer for the hub and the whole hub assembly comes off. You don't pack the bearings. They're lubed by the axle lube that currently leaking out all over the place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you say "retainer", is that a spanner nut? I guess my only question now is, do I need a special socket for the retainer nut? I have seen them with "teeth" and I have seen them with just a cotter pin through the spindle. Can I pop the seal out with out removing or damaging the inner bearing-race assembly. Sorry for all of the questions. I know as soon as I remove the axle, some diff fluid will leak out. I will have to top it off. A mechanic at work told me to check the breather line also. Could a clogged breather cause a wheel seal to blow? Any other obstacles in my way? I am probably making a mountain out of a mohill. It just concers me because I have not talked to anyone who has actually done one on a newer truck.

GM-Tech · March 21, 2006

When you say "retainer", is that a spanner nut? I guess my only question now is, do I need a special socket for the retainer nut?

Yes and yes. You also need a specific seal driver to get the seal in to the proper depth and square to the bore. And once you've place the hub assm. back on to the axle housing, you cannot take it back off without very likely damaging the seal, so make sure you're ready to put it together. No test runs.