Axle Flange Gasket or Sealant

Snarky · Oct 15, 2009

I'm just curious on how many people seal up their axles and flanges with the paper gasket that sell for about $2.50 or if everyone uses some kind of sealant? The first time I pulled my axles to check my brakes I reused the paper gasket, and it leaked, then I made a gasket with gasket material, and that leaked. So then I just said screw it and put on a suitable permatex product. No leak.

I don't have any issues when removing it, just hit the part with a rubber mallet to brake the seal and razor blade away, then replace with suitable sealant when done.

Is this what other people do or do you just buy a lot of seals when it's PM time?

Jake0147 · Oct 15, 2009

From experience on medium duty (deuce sized) civvy trucks-

Paper gaskets are fine.
Permatex by it's self is fine.
Permatex on a paper gasket leaks.
Universall gasket material leaks.
Permatex on universal gasket material leaks.

It's an easy seal. Anything that leaks from it does so because the axle is shifting under the bolts, actually bending them slightly back and forth. They don't tolerate that very long, and the break off just below the hub surface where you can't get at them.

All that said, I wanted to use paper gaskets because that's what it had, but could not find any locally. Thus I used permatex. (OK, I have another favorite brand, but same stuff). But I don't consider either an "upgrade" to the other. Between those two choices, go with either.

BugEyeBear · Oct 15, 2009

Just Permatex.

The High-Temp Red RTV stuff.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...ermatex_High-Temp_Red_RTV_Silicone_Gasket.htm

Good from -65degreesF to 650degreesF intermittant (WAY More that you'll ever need!).

Resists cracking, shrinking, & migrating. Also resists auto & shop fluids.

Works Great!

The RTV Blue stuff probably works fine also. But where I buy it the Red & Blue are the same price, so I figure "Buy the higher temp".
Besides, I like the Red color (easier to see).

HMMMMmmmmmm... I wonder if threy make an RTV Olive Drab??

Snarky · Oct 15, 2009

RTV 3 Color Camo

jwaller · Oct 15, 2009

new paper gaskets have always worked for me.

BugEyeBear · Oct 15, 2009

Snarky said:
RTV 3 Color Camo

bassetdeuce · Oct 16, 2009

Which is easier to scrape off? Old paper, or old permatex?

Snarky · Oct 16, 2009

It's not about which is easier to take off, but which is cheaper to put on. Is there a place where you can get those paper bastards for less than 2.50 a pop?

bassetdeuce · Oct 16, 2009

Snarky said:
It's not about which is easier to take off, but which is cheaper to put on. Is there a place where you can get those paper bastards for less than 2.50 a pop?

To me it is. I HATE the scraping of old crap if it takes forever. I can deal with a few extra bucks.

BugEyeBear · Oct 16, 2009

Personally I don't consider which is cheaper, nor which is easier to take off.

My only concern is which will seal better & last the longest!

IMHO Permatex seals better, is more durable, adapts to irregular/damaged surfaces, and is always the right shape/size.

Snarky · Oct 16, 2009

BugEyeBear said:
Personally I don't consider which is cheaper, nor which is easier to take off.

My only concern is which will seal better & last the longest!

IMHO Permatex seals better, is more durable, adapts to irregular/damaged surfaces, and is always the right shape/size.

Paper gaskets are good and fast, but aint cheap.

Sealant is good and cheap, but aint fast.

Gasket material cheap and fast, but it aint good.

rosco · Oct 16, 2009

I use paper gaskets/make my own. Only takes a few minutes. Use a magazine cover. Cut a hole in it. Drop it over the axle shaft and use a small ball pean to tap out the outline. I us R/V sealant on both sides. An old time mechanic started me that way.

Lee in Alaska

Snarky · Oct 16, 2009

rosco said:
I use paper gaskets/make my own. Only takes a few minutes. Use a magazine cover. Cut a hole in it. Drop it over the axle shaft and use a small ball pean to tap out the outline. I us R/V sealant on both sides. An old time mechanic started me that way.

Lee in Alaska

Thats a pretty cool idea...

gringeltaube · Oct 16, 2009

rosco said:
I use paper gaskets/make my own............

20years ago I did that too, but today...... I bet you will stop doing this once you tried Gasket Eliminator 518 from Loctite.
It is an instant seal, flange sealant and it really works here!

G.

Kjb2007 · Oct 16, 2009

RTV and never have a issue

HDN · May 12, 2023

I'm bringing this back to life - I'm going to pull axle shafts soon and wonder what I should use in 2023 as far as Permatex gasket maker goes for the drive flanges:

The black stuff (#75190) has maximum oil resistance. If the drive flange is supposed to help keep gear oil from escaping, I'd think this would be the way to go, correct?
The gray stuff (#75191) is for high-torque applications and seems less flexible. Is the drive flange considered high-torque for this purpose? I'm tempted to say no because it's bolted to the hub.
There's also "The Right Stuff" black 90-minute gasket maker

Thoughts?

GopherHill · May 12, 2023

The Loctite 518 is good stuff. I've had good success with home made gaskets coated both sides with Hylomar. Must let the Hylomar dry for 5 or 10 minutes or you will have a leak. Gaskets thus treated are often reusable.

cattlerepairman · May 13, 2023

Black stuff. I never use the paper gasket there. It is a no-pressure environment.

Sent from my SM-G991W using Tapatalk

87cr250r · May 13, 2023

Silicones are permeable and seep oil. The Loctite 518 would be best. Any anaerobic gasket maker is suitable here.

Mullaney · May 13, 2023

HDN said:
I'm bringing this back to life - I'm going to pull axle shafts soon and wonder what I should use in 2023 as far as Permatex gasket maker goes for the drive flanges:

The black stuff (#75190) has maximum oil resistance. If the drive flange is supposed to help keep gear oil from escaping, I'd think this would be the way to go, correct?

The gray stuff (#75191) is for high-torque applications and seems less flexible. Is the drive flange considered high-torque for this purpose? I'm tempted to say no because it's bolted to the hub.

There's also "The Right Stuff" black 90-minute gasket maker

Thoughts?

.
Maybe my memory isn't as good as it once was, but when I turned wrenches on Dueces and 5-Tons daily plain old blue silicone is what I used. Let sit for a day and trim the excess. Truck couldn't "graduate" from the Truck Shop with any leaks... When they were returned from a job, the things I worked on didn't have gear oil dribbling out of the axles. Wire brush to clean both surfaces, then MEK, then a thin layer of silicone.

Axle Flange Gasket or Sealant

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