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M35 Front Axle Seal Replacement

jatonka

Well-known member
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I took an M35A2 in last week to replace a leaking front axle inner seal for a friend. This is a more time consuming and more difficult job than the rear wheel seals in my opinion. We were figuring that since we don't have the military long finger internal seal puller, we would use our slide hammer puller to pull the retainer out and replace the bad seal. WRONG thoght process. The slide hammer bounced around and pulled itself apart but not the retainer ring. For those of us that haven't done this job in the past, the seal is inserted into the retainer ring from the inside of the retainer and then the retainer and seal are pressed into the axle housing with the military front inner seal inserter tool, which I do have.
Now here is the good part #1: I couldn't wait for the Posi-Lock internal puller to be delivered, and I couldn't afford it either, so I looked around the auto parts store and picked up an exhaust and tailpipe expander. Napa # 2071. Cost $39. welded a 1/2" fine thread nut on the end of it and rigged up a straight bar puller across the knuckle housing, with some 5/8" line bolts to the edges of the housing and started tightening up on the center bolt attached to the pipe expander. The pipe expander has a groove at the end toward the expanding cone that engages the retainer perfectly. I really had to put the torque to the 15" adjustable wrench and finally the seal retainer broke free and came out.
This is the Good Part #2: Someone in the military had the axle apart previously and had used some kind of sealer on the pressed in retainer. And worst of all, they installed the oil seal in the retainer backwards!!!! Now, the seal actually says "Outside" right on the face of it, What happened?.
All's well that ends well they say ,but what a crap job. I did a cross reference on the seal and the exact cross from military to civilian is a CR 16842. At a major Northeast Industrial bearing supplier called Kaman Industrial Supply. I also discovered the poor man's puller to be the Napa #2071 exhaust and tailpipe expander. With the pounds of torque I put on it, I am sure it will stand up to the job any time.
I know this job can be done by taking both sides apart and sending a long bar through the axle housing to beat the retainers out, and I wish I had the military puller that is called out in some of my manuals but I have never seen one for sale yet. For those members who have done this replacement themselves in the past, I'd like to hear your experiences on this topic.
Sorry for the long post, but it didn't take hardly any time at all compared to fixing the darned seal that somebody else did backwards to start with! JT out :grd:
 

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
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I have a Snap-On slide hammer. There is a piece that fits inside the seal but all I had was the hook tool. I had to back for quite a while to get it out but I did. It appears that the seal and retainer were "sealed" in place. I hope next time I service that part, it comes out a bit easier. I will have to say though, the Snap-On slide hammer is much better than the discount store one.
 

maxim

Member
Yes it is a crappy job. I had a bearing go out on one side so it needed replacement. I bit the bullet and took both sides apart and knocked it out with the long rod through from the other end. Now I know both sides seals, knuckles and bearings have been serviced. The retainer was in so hard on mine it would rip out the seal slide hammer. 2 good taps on the rod from the other side and it popped right out.
 

doghead

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Banshee, a post of just a link(above) should have a brief description with it. Especially when you went through so much effort to post it the first time. Your 4 page step by step posting is a great reference tool for others to use. By describing the link, you will also help make it easier to find when someone does a search. Key words are critical for successful search results.
The link above will take you to Banshee365's post titled"Front axle seals and boots stepXstep "
 

WillWagner

The Person You Were Warned About As A Child
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Maybe Banshees' link to his original writeup should be made into a sticky. There are some very good tips and pics there that can help alot.
 

doghead

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WillWagner said:
Maybe Banshees' link to his original writeup should be made into a sticky. There are some very good tips and pics there that can help a lot.
It(Banshees post) also has a link at the end of it that will take you to another excellent posting on the same topic done by Recovry4x4, including a thorough description of the process and photos.

Anyone that needs to change their front axle boots, seals or wheel cylinders or just wants to maintain them should read these two threads. The efforts by the original posters deserve respect and thanks. If others have posted on this same topic and I missed it, I apologize for not offering thanks where credit is due.

A picture or two of the modified tools used by John or others would be nice to see posted here as well.

Sorry to sort of "hijack" this thread John, at least we're still on the original subject!
 

jasonjc

Well-known member
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Gravette Ar.
I've done the full service seal/boot replacement on 2 of my trucks. Both times I used a pipe and taped the seal out from the other side. 2 down 5 to go :wink:
 

jatonka

Well-known member
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Location
Ephratah, New York
Well, this is what I've been hoping for, lots of response and ideas on an important part of Deuce maintainence. And thank you Banshee for doing that great write up and pictures on the procedure. I should take more pictures for these kinds of things. JT
 

WoodyUSMC

New member
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Location
colbert, wa
im going to be doing the seals on both sides. so i can use the rod method talked about. does anyone have any pictures on this. i feel like there will be gears in the way
 
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