Leaky seals or normal wear?

[Chris]

Sorry Frank, where is it called an axle shaft support?

 

[chapel gate]

Another advantage of the Range Rover and Land Rover axles is that the hubs are full of EP 90 so non of this contamination takes place. Also the Kingpins last longer. In fact on the 7 LR's I had and 3 RR's I never had any front axle trouble. As for the spheres they have a flange with 6 or 7 bolts so you can change just with spanners. The spheres were chromed as you needed an oil tight seal. I'm not too sure about cutting one off and welding a new one on. Never seen that. You'd need a jig to get castor and camber correct.

The disadvantage is the spheres get corroded and leak but that takes a long time.

i was getting mixed up with a chap who cut the spheres off to alter the castor after a lift.

the axle tube can be had new for about 500 pounds plus import etc, so not completely out of the way.
one of my jobs on the list is to clean up and paint the spheres.

 

[frank rabbets]

That's the point Chris. I can't find a description anywhere so is it named as an oil retainer or is that someones opinion ? Can't find front axle tube anywhere on Toyodiy but that's prob me.

 

[chapel gate]

 

[Chris]

It's not listed as a part Frank. it doesn't show up at all or I'd have posted it already. There's no mention of it in the FSM under axle rebuild either. I only know about it as I knocked one out once when putting the shaft back in. Caused me some right grief. In the end I made a sort of slide hammer arrangement and battered it back into place. It's a sort of tin plate disc that's pressed into the end of the tube from inside the diff. If it wasn't intended to hold a quantity of oil against the seal I guess it would have had drain holes in it. I think it's dual purpose though. 1 to hold oil against the seal to keep the seal and shaft surface in a puddle of oil, 2. to prevent too much tidal wash of oil against the seal when the vehicle is inclined. Sort of like a baffle. I am very careful NOT to try and use it as a support when I put the shaft in following my experience of knocking the damn thing into the diff before now.

 

[chapel gate]

It's not listed as a part Frank. it doesn't show up at all or I'd have posted it already. There's no mention of it in the FSM under axle rebuild either. I only know about it as I knocked one out once when putting the shaft back in. Caused me some right grief. In the end I made a sort of slide hammer arrangement and battered it back into place. It's a sort of tin plate disc that's pressed into the end of the tube from inside the diff. If it wasn't intended to hold a quantity of oil against the seal I guess it would have had drain holes in it. I think it's dual purpose though. 1 to hold oil against the seal to keep the seal and shaft surface in a puddle of oil, 2. to prevent too much tidal wash of oil against the seal when the vehicle is inclined. Sort of like a baffle. I am very careful NOT to try and use it as a support when I put the shaft in following my experience of knocking the damn thing into the diff before now.

mines in the bin.

 

[frank rabbets]

Cheers for the picture.

Probably an oil retainer if not very thick then. I don't remember noticing it when I did my axle but I was very careful to try and slide the shafts in without rubbing the seals. The retained oil level would not be up to the friction part of the seal when parked but yes once the shaft started turning it would drain down immediately onto that part.

 

[Chris]

Frank, I never noticed it either. Not til it went 'clank' into the diff pan....

On the level, the oli in the diff doesn't really get up the tubes does it. Well I'd imagine not. On cornering some will go up there and drain back so I figured it made sense to have a retainer to keep some up there. It will also have the effect I guess of catching quite a bit of CV grease should it make it through the seal. So if you do a rebuilt, it makes sense to try and flush that bit out or it's going to end up in your new oil eventually

 

[StarCruiser]

Ok, I'm reading this thinking how on earth do you pass several kg of shaft with several other kg of CV joint on one end, through the seal without resting it on the 'oil retainer fitting aid'? I mean how does it not just drop when you get the shaft near home and the CV takes up all the space in the knuckle?

 

[Towpack]

I've never seen inside an empty axle tube from the diff end but I'm assuming there must be some sort of guide to line up the half shaft near the diff 'cos when I did mine they slid in pretty easy despite me forgetting to lock the diff first as per the FSM. Maybe Chris can answer this one as he's had a few diffs in and out in his (recent) time. If the "oil retainer/half shaft guide/rest really is there to support the shaft on assembly then I would have expected it to be a bit more substantial and not that easy to knock out as Chris did. JMO

 

[Chris]

OK, you can certainly rest the shaft on it, but I would not push (slide) the shaft along it. I put my hand in the swivel and support the shaft as I slide the CV in. Eventually you have to pull your hand out, obviously. But at that point you are nearly there. The end of the shaft doesn't magically get guided into the splines. There is some wiggling to be done and it's not a technique I could write down. You may well pivot off the oil retainer ring, but do it with care. BTW you don't need to lock the front diff to reassemble it. It's the back diff where you need the locker in to hold the dog clutch