Technical 57 Chevy rear axle leak.

Hi Guys,

I could use some advise on this issue.
The rear axle of my 57 Chevy Bel Air is leaking on both sides and making a turn a low speed gives a wringing sound on the passenger side.

A few years ago i did rebuild the entire rear end, both wheel bearings have been changed for new Timken RW307r bearings. Also the entire differential has new bearings.

I keep on reading that the new production bearings aren't as good as they should be. So that might explain the leak, only the wringing sound i can't explain.

Thanks,
Nick

 

That does sound like axle bearing failure.

 

Was it a pressed on seal bearing that you used? I have done a few of these rear ends and never had a seal leak. About the noise, I have bent those axles and it could be rubbing the brake drum against the backing plate These were never the strongest rear end ever build that's why they go to the Ford 9". The axles are the week link, they will bend and twist and break with bigger that stock tires. If its a posi did you use the posi lube?

 

Don't do this!
Seriously though, sounds like axle bearings are the noise culprit, they sing or hum when going bad. Good luck

 

Is the vent on the housing open?

 

If you see gear oil running down the backing plate you need to take it apart and pull the axles. Odd both sides went at once, take a close look at everything.

 

If you can find them on e bay etc...nos bearings are a better replacement than new made from somewhere else in the world.

 

Thanks for the replies.

Yes these are the press on bearing with integrated seals.
I took the pumpkin out and couldn't see any blue bearings or chipped teeth.
This rear end was completely rebuild a few years ago and has seen very little driving distance.
The vent tube is open, there is some residue on the axle tube.
One of the O-rings was completely shot, the other one looks brand new.
The current axle is just a open one, no posi. Therefore i used regular gear oil
A bent axle might be possible, this i will have to check.

Wheeldog57. That is painful just to look at.

 

Are there any rub marks on the backing plate or the brake drums? Is the bad seal on the drive axle?

 

I haven't seen any rub marks so far. No the bearings have o-rings to. The O-ring on the driver side is bad. The passenger side looks brand new. The passenger side makes the wringing sound. The driver side leaks the most.

 

Those new bearings with seals on both sides are packed with grease and the seals are dust seals. 57 bearings have a oil seal on outside and o ring. 57 bearings oil from differential lube. The new bearings can't hold the standing oil. Only thing I see to do is run less lube or run original bearings.

 

I don't recall seeing a groove in the end of the tube at the bottom. Once the bearing is back in place the oil could leak past the housing. Check the other side of the housing

 

I had the same leaking problem. What I discovered was the o-ring on the bearings were not getting seated deeply enough in the axle housing.

I cleaned everything up, lubed the o-rings and put the axles back in. Before tightening the retainer, I took a big dead blow hammer and gave each axle a good whack. You could feel the o-ring go in. Tighten up the retainer and you should be good to go.

The only thing the gasket does is keep gear oil out of the brakes. It essentially forces the leak outside. It has no sealing capability for the gear oil and the retainer, on its own, will not pull the o-ring into the axle housing.

At least, that was my experience,

 

Is there any trick to pull the 57 axles?

 

SLIDE HAMMER, WITH A FLANGE THAT BOLTS ONTO THE LUGS

 

poor man's slide hammer = put the brake drum on backwards put your lug nuts on just enough to engage the threads, then use the brake drum as a slide hammer. I read about that somewhere and used it on my '56 when I had to pull an axle for a bearing replacement. Worked like a charm...

 

You will need to follow the above methods, but first remove the bolts that attach the backing plate to the axle flange. Take care not to pull the backing plate off with the axle and damage the brake line. This can be done with the brake shoes in place.

 

Many thanks.

 

I used this on my 56 Chevy rear worked great I had a whole thread about it too

https://www.ebay.com/i/383196864959...MI2LOW16-i6AIVIeeGCh1R7gCQEAQYBCABEgKX3PD_BwE

 

Some in the TriFive Chevy world have a theory about Axles being squished by excess tightening of U bolts. Think about a two armed Gorilla with a 1/2 breaker bar .

 

MAKE Sure the axle is not walking out of the bearing.Most of these axles have a Bazillion miles on them.It can and will walk out of bearing.

 

I second what is in the post above me . I have seen the axle come out of the bearing.

 

This was some really good advice.
The brake drums seem to be rubbing the backing plate.
Also one of the bearings has a odd wear mark on the outside.

When i pulled the axle apart a few years ago there was some really viscous "oil" in the axle. So the leaking might have been know to the previous owners.

 

My 55 Cameo rear housing was killed by someone in the past over tightening U bolts.Had a funny noise coming from the rear.Figured a brake shoe lining had come off.Lifted the truck at the center section with a floor jack.As the wheel came off the ground I could see the axle tube separate at the U bolt.EVERY thing in the rear was destroyed.Oil looked like met. sliver paint.After I got it apart I could see the crush in the axle tube at the U bolt,and the 360 degree crack.Truck was a real lady...she died in the drive way,and not the highway.

 

Hi Nick please disregard my previous post. I see the 57 rear has a different wheel bearing it is 1/4" wider than the earlier and later years. Now do you see your problem. Get the correct wheel bearings and you should be good to go. Oh you will have to change the oil soaked brake shoes.

 

Notice to all 57 chevy rears use a 1/4 " wider wheel bearing. I have a set of 57 rear axles 125.00 + S/H

 

The 55 & 56 chevy use the
TIMKEN RW507ER Same width as 307R, smaller OD
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1117613

1957 ONLY uses the
TIMKEN RW307R
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1117756

58-64 use the
NATIONAL RW607NR Same OD as the 307R and wider
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=221851

There is also a RW307ER This one doesn't work for the 57 chevy as its the same width as the 607NR

 

Well, there you go.... some good info here as usual. I hope putting it back together with the right bearings fixes both problems.


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And now to stir the pot. Take brake cleaner,clean a spot on axle. TAK weld a little spot to axel. A very small spot tak it to bearing. It will keep axel from walking out in future. I run my axels like this for years. JUST A TACK. maybe in 3 spots on axel.


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