Rear Axle Seal Sealant

[Chief Master Sergeant]

I finally got the darn rear seal out and my Hanes manual states to smear a small amount of oil resistant sealant around the edge of the new seal prior to putting it in. Any suggestions on what to use?

 

[Rustytruck]

We are talking about the outside seal to the case use red or green loctite on the inside working area of the seal a little grease or molylube to protect it from a dry start.

 

[broncnaz]

I've never used sealant on my rear seals the red or green coating on the seal itself is sealant but you could put some rtv on it also if the surfaces are scratched up for a better seal. and ditto rustytrucks suggestion lube up the rubber part before putting the axle back in

 

[Chief Master Sergeant]

Scratched surface

The inside of the housing is marred up pretty bad. I used fine sand paper to try to get rid of the nicks, but it's still not perfect. I think it would be best to use some type of sealant. Also, someone mentioned a seal installer in an earlier post. What does something like this run and where do you get one? I haven't been able to locate one yet.

 

[75]

you just need to use somthing about the size in diameter of the seal. the fella previously mentioned a spindle nut wrench for the job, but anything to keep the seal from getting stuffed in there sideways will work. good luck.

 

[ken75ranger]

Re: Scratched surface

The inside of the housing is marred up pretty bad. I used fine sand paper to try to get rid of the nicks, but it's still not perfect. I think it would be best to use some type of sealant. Also, someone mentioned a seal installer in an earlier post. What does something like this run and where do you get one? I haven't been able to locate one yet.

For a sealant I'd use blue locktite. I cut a piece of wood the shape of the seal and tapped her in.

 

[dbevans2249]

AXLE SEAL SEALER

1SG I would recomend a sealer such as the Permatex that you apply with a brush.You will be the one to change the seal the next time so Do Not use Lock Tight. The sealer will not only help prevent leaks, it also lubricates the outside of the seal as you install it. Do not get it on the rubber lip, just put it in the axle housing and on the outside of the seal. My $.02 MSG David Evans

 

[wildbill]

%) %) %) RTV only NO lock tight %) %) %) Bill 8) %)

 

[BwoncoHowie]

Aviation gasket sealer or RTV if your housing has deep scratches.

Loctite will not fill the irregularities and voids very well and it will be a MOFO to remove the next time...%)

~BH

 

[Chief Master Sergeant]

Thanks

The guy at Auto Zone also recommended the blue RTV. I'll give it a shot this weekend. I appreciate the input. Thanks!

 

[justinsane]

I used blue RTV, no leaks. If you use your spindle socket with an extension put in backwards, it makes a good seal driver.

Brian

 

[munsonbw]

I designed oil seals for a couple of years and am now a quality engineer for the same seals.

So, FWIW... Unless your bore is very deeply scratched or the seal you bought dosn't have any "paint" on the OD, there is no need to use a sealer. The paint that is on the ODs of seals is a polymer based sealer that is designed to fill scratches and imperfections in the bore's surface and if I remember right actually swells when exposed to oil. Using RTV will run the risk of getting it into whatever you are installing the seal in (rear main engine?) For your installation, the proper tool is of course a seal driver, which you may be able to borrow from Autozone. If that is not an option, the proper place to apply the force to install a seal is at the very outer edge. The metal case is it's strongest there and won't warp the metal if done correctly.

Maybe more than you wanted to know

Cheers,
Ben

 

[Chief Master Sergeant]

Confused

Okay, so I have been given advice both ways now. You are not the first to say use nothing. The inside of the housing is marred up pretty bad in places, so with that said, would you attempt to use the RTV? The oil was blown all over the inside of the drum, so I wasn't able to tell where the leak was coming from. It appears as though the rubber was stretched out pretty bad, so maybe it isn't coming from around the edge of the seal. My fear is not using RTV and trusting the factory sealant and then ruining another set of brake shoes. Does this make sense?

 

[kwspony]

I'm not sure I would use any sealer. I have had to replace one of my seals more than once due to leaking on the brakes. I finally bought a seal driver at Napa and haven't had any leaks. very important to get the seal in straight!!! Just remember that you may eventually have to replace the seal again, using rtv or other stuff may make it harder to get the seal out the next time.

 

[Skuzzlebutt]

Ford manuals do say to use an oil resistant sealer around the outside of the new seal.