I recently replaced the rear outer grease seal on my '15 T because it began to leak. The seal (shown in the photo) is the new modern type with neoprene seal. The reason for the leak (I believe) is that the axle shim was pushed up against it when I installed the wheel/hub and cut the seal as the axle rotated. Now that I replaced the grease seal, how do I make sure that the shim does not push against it when I install the wheel/hub again?
Thanks for your help.
Put the shim in the hub first. Then it'll tend to move outwards when tightening, not towards the seal.
That makes sense. I will try it.
Thank you.
Allen is there a step worn into your axel or does the picture just make it look like there is? James
That's the shim you're seeing.
Allan,
That's exactly what axle shims do. Either they get pushed up during assembly, (Roger has the cure for that), or they migrate up and into the seal, and eventually into the Hyatt bearing, as they wear and disintegrate. My friend's '13 Touring had an axle shaft, Hyatt bearing & sleeve totally destroyed that way. We picked the remaining fragments of the shim out of the bearing area.
If you MUST use a shim, be very diligent about checking the tightness of the hub at regular intervals.
Thanks R.V. Now I know what they look like. Allen disregard my comment. Thanks James
The lip type Neoprene seals work just fine until the axle and bearing become worn. Then the axle moves off center and the lip type seal starts to leak, That is why we make our neoprene inner seals with a boot type seal. They are so flexible they will follow a worn axle off center and not leak. When you have a good inner Neoprene seal you don't need an outer Neoprene seal. The Differential oil cannot get into the outer axle grease and an original felt seal will work just fine. Outer felt seals only leak when differential oil gets into the outer bearing grease.
Don't put the shim on the axle.
Put the shim in the hub THEN slide it onto the axle.......