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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Engine/Drivetrain => Rear Drivelines, Drive Axles and Gearing => Topic started by: hef1125 on November 05, 2011, 09:05:29 PM
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I have a 1987 V30 4wd 1ton pickup. I've replaced the rear wheel seals on both sides but they still leak. The inside of the drum and all the brake components are completely covered in gear oil and there are puddles under each wheel. Is there another seal that I need to change or is there more to the seal than just the one in the drum? Did I put them on backwards? There are no wear spots or gouges in either the inside of the drum or the axle where the seal makes contact. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
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Make sure your vent tube isn't blocked. If it is, pressure will build in your axle housing as it heats up when you drive. As the pressure builds it has to go somewhere, and it will blow past the wheel seals taking lube oil with it.
How do I know this? Because my son's '79 K-30 did the same thing. :)
On second thought, there is no fix for this. I feel so bad for you that this has happened that I will offer to take that troublesome machine off your hands. An '87 V-30 is trouble, just plain trouble, I tell 'ya.(LOL! J/K, you must be proud of that beast. :) )
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Thanks Engineer. I'll check the vent tube but I don't think that is the problem. Today after I lowered the driver's side rear, oil immediately started pouring out of the passenger side drum. It was like all the oil pooled in the passenger drum while driver's side was on the jack stand and once it was level it all leaked out.
Yeah, I do like the truck and I bought it knowing it needed work but for the right price it could be yours.
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Hmm.
Tearing those babies apart can be a chore, I guess that is why everytime a 14-bolt FF showed up here we ditched the drum brakes for discs.
Anyhow, assuming the guy at the parts store gave you the right seal, and everything is back together properly, I don't know why else it would leak. I have seen some pretty badly grooved axle housings hold a seal, you said your's isn't grooved at all.
Before installing the new seal in the hub did you check to see if it fit tightly over the spindle? Also, the garter spring in the seal lip should be turned in toward the wheel bearing. One other thing, the seal should be installed with a little oil on the lip. If not, it can burn the seal lip out prematurely.
I know this stuff all sounds "well duh", but I have done a zillion 14-bolt FF axles, and only once have I had one leak, and that was due to the vent tube being plugged. Let me know what you find, so I'll possibly know what to look out for.
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you sure its not the wheel cylinder for your brakes mine was bleaking and made a big mess i got a picture of what is looked like
(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff410/redneck1362/IMG_0183.jpg)
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bigchevyc30 - my wheel cylinders leak and will be replaced soon but it was definitely gear oil that was leaking. The insides of my drums are just as grimy as yours.
Engineer - I didn't check the fit before installing. I'm going to get seals from NAPA instead of AutoZone. Hopefully they'll work better. I guess the good news is that seals are fairly inexpensive.
Also, do I need to replace the brake shoes since they are covered in oil or will that just burn off?
Thanks for the suggestions.
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If they are gear lube soaked they will tend to grab a lot. In the past I have gotten away with a good cans worth of brake clean spray, then used sand paper, longboard 80 grit and mine were fine.
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Not sure if you fixed it yet or not, but I had this problem once too. In my case it turned out the inside of the hub where the outside edge of the seal makes contact was gouged from a previous idiot replacing them and just jerking the seals out without any care. The scratches in the hub were allowing gear oil to leak around the outside of the seal.
It's an easy fix if that is your problem, just put a little RTV or silicone around the outside of the seal (the metal outer edge that gets pressed into the hub).