Driveshaft transaxle seal replacement

[88Intl]

Going to pull the driveshafts to replace the transaxle seals, while doing the brakes. What size socket for the axle nut? Will a 2-jaw puller work? Is a special tool needed to drive the new seal in, or a socket or piece of pipe, or will the seal press in by hand?

[NOHC_WBody]

The axle nut is a 36mm.

 

The twojaw will work, just make sure it's seated tightly.

 

Not sure about the seals though.

[JS91Z34]

OK chuck the puller. Get yourself a BFH(big f------ hammer). Take the lower balljoint apart by undoing the nut that holds the hub and control arm together. When you get that done swing the assembly to one side with one arm and strike the end of the shaft with the BFH with the other arm, It will come loose. When it comes loose, grab the shaft and prevent it from pulling on the inner joint of the shaft. Take the axle assembly all the way out of the hub assembly. Then grab a pry bar and pry the inner joint out of the trans and remove the axle shaft from the vehicle. Most of these axle seals can be replaced by prying them out with a standard screw driver and a socket or pipe roughly same in diameter as the seal.

[Murray]

88Intl

 

There's a couple really important things to know when doing this job:

 

1- Make sure the nut is threaded on the axle before hitting with a hammer

or you'll damage the axle threads. Alternately use a brass hammer.

2- Get a seal puller (cheap) lest you scratch and/or damage the surface

that the seal outer ring seats against. Tranny oil creeps well and if there

is a gouge it'll seep out there.

3- Never tap on any part of the seal except the outer ring. The right side

is a bitch to get in because of the raised seal. I used short pieces of

ABS pipe to drive mine in.

 

Murray