About 6 months ago I bought a new 9" housing and axle kit for my 26 T coupe. The bearings and seals came already pressed on the axles. After initial install, the driver's side seal was leaking grease onto my Torque Thrust wheels. Figured I did something wrong. I purchased a new bearing and seal, pressed them on the axle and re-installed. Still leaking. I bought another bearing and seal and went through the process again. Drove it for a few miles and thought I had it fixed. NOPE! Never have had a problem out of the right side seal. After 3 different bearings and seals, I'm at a loss. Getting real tired of cleaning rear end grease off my wheel. Changing bearings and seals in the 9" is a pretty straight forward operation. What am I missing?
How does the bearing feel in the housing. We had a new housing that the bearing race would spin inside the end. but these were the tapered style bearings that Curie used.
Are you using tapered or ball bearings? They are sealed differently. Do you have the inner seal installed?
Not familiar with every 9” housing but if you remove the 3rd member and look in at the tube and it squared off, Circle track suppliers sell a seal bushings to go in the tube. The have 3 o-rings that seal to the tube and an inner seal to the axle. They are removable. Normally we use only a right side but they can be fit to both. This also keeps the oil where it’s needed the most. Elimates any oil to the outer seal and bearing. Only problem is that outer seal is no longer receiving any lubrication but we have removed ours.
I purchased a 9" axle from TCI more than 30 years ago and it had new seals and gaskets, the axle seal on the drivers side leaked, I tried replacing the seal but somewhere along the way some one buggered up the surface of the axle where the seal fits, my solution was to replace the seal with yet another new on and then use Permatex around the perimeter, thus far it works. When I noticed the initial problem I contacted TCI and they offered to replace the rear axle after I returned the one under my car, I decided I had spent enough and wasn't going to spend a additional 300 dollar plus to ship it back across country. HRP
When I bought pallets of 9 inch rear housings and axles from Currie in the 90's and early 2000's that was a problem I had from time to time. I would send the customer a new bearing with an O ring seal plus a new outer seal and some money to have the bearing replaced. Usually never heard back. I think the O ring seal might have been the fix?
The race is definitely tight in the end. Doesn't seem to be egg shaped. These are the A20 tapered bearing style. . It does have aftermarket disc brakes. They require a spacer, and the disc brake bracket. I can see where if the bracket was shifting around it could cause a problem. Never has been a problem on the right side, but I'll check that out.
I remember those from my circle track days. Never did use them 'cause I didn't like the idea of removing all the lube from the bearing. Shouldn't be necessary in this case.
I checked the seal surface each time I changed it. All seems to be good. I was wondering if some silicone around the outside of the bearing before going into the housing might help? I have been putting it in with grease.
That sounds interesting. There is no o ring involved with the bearing set I used. Do you happen to have a source or part number for that set?
I do this....just in case. Verify the garter spring is in place. I got a trans extension housing seal the other day and found it missing the spring. Junk parts
The standard ball bearing is "pemanently" lubricated, and the seal is in the housing, inboard of the bearing. The tapered bearing is lubed by the gear lube in the housing, with the seal outboard of the bearing. Each type of bearing must be matched to an axle shaft that has a seal contact area in the proper location. The tapered bearings came later in the 9" production, mid 70's, first in 1/2 ton pickup trucks, then the big passenger cars.
OK, thanks. My 9" does not have that inner seal. I believe that the 8" I took out had that inner seal though.
Using outer seals in the housing then sliding in the axle with the bearing pressed on there should never be any rear end oil ever reaching the pressed on bearing as they are permanently lubed before being pressed on the axle. That’s why my suggestion to do it on the inner end of the axle tube. If something is wrong on the outer seal surfaces it inner seals work great at least to allow minimum rear end oil out to where it’s leaking.
I am going through this exact situation with my coupe. I will do a photo-by-photo disassembly so you guys can see what I am dealing with. This will be the 5th time I have taken it apart to try and seal it.
I had a similar situation with a 9 inch I used to run. The previous owner had installed 31 spline axle seals in a 28 spline axle housing. The funny thing is that the 31 and 28 spline axle seals have the same Outside diameter but the 31 has a larger inside diameter. So the 31 fits but does not seal properly around the axle itself. This allows the diff fluid to get past the seal. Check the seal part number and see. Good luck.
Do you happen to have the part numbers on both seals? That way I could look them up to get the dimensions and then measure what I have and maybe that is the issue. My axles were custom built by Dutchman. Dutchman is the only company that will do 5 on 5 1/2 bolt patterns.
Hey Ron, Here ya go. Hope this helps. National Grease Seal Rear Axle 28 Spline (WEX) 1.375" Shaft 1967-1973 National: NATIONAL 9569S VS. Grease Seal Rear Axle 31 Spline (WEZ) 1.5" Shaft 1969-1973 National: NATIONAL 9363S
Had a friend with the very same problem. Turned out the axle on that side was bent. Took a machinist friend to find it.
Well hmmm someone posted about a Currie and an OEM type . You can play all year with a rearend leaking and have many times for me and others so now I do 3 things . I get all my parts together first make sure matching to stock unless a reputable racing axle but all parts must match and look at exploded views inner seal probably missing cause you can drive it awhile then it leaks or -- I always check cashing for cracks with a small hammer make sure I get the proper ting noise all up and down the tubes and flange . Dull thuds well it's Have a Nice Day Buddy . Old flanges maybe warped this would cause a seal to seat out of round creating a ssllooww leak so maybe check on a flatness test and a rumour reasons of the seal bore . Could be wrong seals also so chock it up jack it up take the wheel off start it up and while in gear flashlight the starting point of the leak that could give you a clue
I had a leaking issue on the passenger side on a new Currie that came with my TCI chassis after 250 miles, Sealed bearings & inner seals, took it apart and found the seal was not in all the way and sitting about a 25 degree angle from the factory, installed a new one properly.
Taper roller is tough not to damage the seal installing it . I personally dislike and try not to use them . I use the bearing as discussed with an Oring on the OD of a ball bearing . The ball bearings are a sealed bearing and no oil from the housing . The rollers require oil from the housing to be correctly lubed and live a long life
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