1999 Land Cruiser, Driver Side, Differential Tube, Oil Seal Placement
I'm replacing my original CV drive shaft on the DS. I guess I should have looked here before installing my new seal. Oh well. Anyway, I took a picture of the new seal placement which I will try to attach. Basically the original seal seemed to be installed such that it was almost flush (standing a little proud) with the inner lip which is a few millimeters inboard of the end of the diff tube. I didn't want to mess up my new seal so I put it in the freezer so it would shrink a little and hopefully go in easily at the time of install. After I removed the old oil seal, I seem to recall that there was a circular clip that was the next part that was deeper in the diff tube. I don't recall but maybe it had a bearing behind it and the circular clip kept that bearing where it was supposed to be. (I'm guessing on this last sentence ... I don't really recall what was just inboard of the clip inside the diff tube.) Anyway, I found out that a 2" PVC plumbing coupling had an inner diameter that allowed the protruding part of the oil seal to fit inside and then had a nice bearing surface on the main part of the seal. I put about a 12" piece of 2" PVC pipe into the coupling and then I used a flat aluminum Race & Seal Driver that was the approximately same OD as the 2" PVC pipe. I used a Craftsman hammer that has a softer "rubber-ish" red head on one end and harder yellow plastic head on the other end ... it is a lightweight hammer in my opinion. I wiped the ID of the diff tube to make sure it was clean (other than the oil leaking out at the bottom). I got the cold oil seal and coated the OD with some of the diff oil that was leaking out and then I placed the seal in the diff tube and started tapping it in with my stackup of PVC/race driver. I tapped easily and the seal went in easily and then it felt like it seated against something (I assume the circular clip). After I got my PVC driver assembly
out of the way I could see that the seal was about a quarter of an inch deeper than the previous seal was. It was in there nice and flat and the seal wasn't damaged/bent during the install. I then coated the inside of the tube and seal with Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease (NLGI #2).
1) Do you think it is in too far? If so, does that mean that you think that it is touching something other than the circular clip and may damage whatever that is? A poster above implied that the dust seal would push the oil seal deeper if it needed to. The fact that my oil seal went in easy and seated easily (and I didn't pound it home, just light tapping) and the fact that the seal seems nice and flat makes me think it may be okay ... I just don't recall how radially "tall" the circular clip was and am concerned that the new oil seal could be touching something it isn't supposed to if the circular clip is "short" ... any thoughts?
2) With the oil seal in deeper than original, I'm concerned that the ID of the oil seal may not engage the shoulder of the CV drive shaft and keep dirt/etc. out ... I will attempt to make some measurements to see if I can determine if that would be true but if you already know, that would be great
Any thoughts?
3) What is behind that circular clip?
4) If you do think it is in too deep, is there a method to remove without damaging it if you don't have the Special Service Tool? i had to special order it from Toyota and they make everyone order in person, no credit card over the phone even if you are a repeat customer ... don't understand that one :-(
5) Also, on a somewhat related issue regarding Ball Joint studs ... Do you recommend a dry fit between the ball joint studs and the mating female tapered holes in the steering knuckle? If not, would you use oil or something like the Mobile 1 Synthetic Grease (#2)?
Thank you!
