Specter Offroad 088-100B-KIT (1 Viewer)

[UsedLuxury]

On today's episode of this s***ty ol truck, Axle seals and how to make an oil slick!
I am in the middle of a move and my rear driver axle seal gave up the ghost. The kit i got from specter included "axle washers". I was in a hurry to install the kit and had no clue where they go so i left them out. After a short drive on the 91 freeway my radiator decided it was time for it to go the geat parts store in the sky. As my tractor was being let off it's flat bed piggy back ride, I noticed my wheel had once again started to leak. I'm guessing those factory extras are included as a spacer to give the seals a new place to ride on. I'm not sure exactly where they should go. The O.D. is the same as the seals and bearings and i think I.D. is a match as well. Do they go in between the bearing and seal or somewhere else?

 

[MoCoNative]

Did you replace the bearings? The washers go behind the bearings as you drive them back into the axle tube. I think their purpose it to help hold oil in the bearing and reduce slosh of oil past the bearing. They also seem to give you more to grab onto when pulling the bearing. As for a leak, was there a grove in the axle where the seal rides? Can't seal it if the axle is too worn. Also if the center spacer in the diff is worn down, or the end of the axle is worn down for some reason, or the side gears in the diff and their respective wear shims are worn, the axle endplay could be too great and will trash a seal. Could also be that the seal went in crooked, or it did not stay seated and popped out too.