I searched the forum on this subject but did not find a clear answer: Is the felt washer in the axle housing tube between the two axle bearings necessary if using the modern axle seal behind the outer bearing?

yes unless you use the new inner seals, Bob

Ok- when you say "new inner seal" you mean the modern seal that goes behind the OUTER bearing correct?

I'm sure this topic frustrates the guys that work on these often but it confuses us newbies when the word "inner" is used.

Bob, I tried to go to your website and got a message, "this account has been suspended".

http://www.bobsantiqueautoparts.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

Here is the inner seal that Bob is talking about:

https://www.modeltford.com/item/2511AS.aspx

Here is a video showing installation of the inner seals, among other things:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfxWPsF4KhQ

By the way, the inner seals have some thickness to them, so if you install the inner seals, check to make sure that your outer Hyatt bearing sleeves don't protrude beyond the ends of the rear axle housing tubes. If they do, grind (then deburr) a little off of the inner end of the sleeve until the outer end of the sleeve fits flush with the end of the axle tube.

I don't know if they're necessary, but I installed three on each axle shaft. Getting them into the tube was a real booger.


Using that many was probably overkill, but with those plus the neoprene seal behind the bearing I doubt that I'll have oil dribbling on my brakes.