P38 Front Drive Shaft Oil Seal Replacement

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micko2602

New Member
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89
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
I've had a leak from the N/S front drive shaft oil seal for a while now, and as the weather is better and i've got a bit time on my hands, I thought I'd have a go at replacing it.
I've got the instructions from Rave and it looks pretty straight forward. I just wanted to ask if anyone else had done this and if they encountered any problems.
Also I assume as its been leaking a bit of oil I'll have to replace it and I expect a bit to come out when I remove the drive shaft. Is there any oil level indicator on the front Diff or do you fill it till oil comes out?

Any help appreciated.

Mick
 
Easy job just follow RAVE. Care when replacing drive shaft would be good to avoid damage to seal. Otherwise straight forward job. Oil level is when on level ground oil runs from filler plug.
 
Chances are that the hub will be well and truly rusted to the swivel and may take a good beating to get off. Clean the rust off the mating faces and the bore/spigot after you have removed it, also make sure that there are no bruises on the faces etc. and give it a good coat of copper grease before reassembly.
Replacement of the seal is easy, you won't loose much oil, the filler plug hole on the diff is also the level indicator.
 
Sorry I know this is an old thread. I've just done my hub seal but found the old one a bugger to get out so had to chisel it out, then the new one refused to go in without a fight. I tried to gently knock it in but must have damaged it because its all back together and now leaking...

I've done this procedure on another P38 but I'm sure it wasn't so stubborn, is there a trick I don't know?


Many thanks
 
Sorry I know this is an old thread. I've just done my hub seal but found the old one a bugger to get out so had to chisel it out, then the new one refused to go in without a fight. I tried to gently knock it in but must have damaged it because its all back together and now leaking...

I've done this procedure on another P38 but I'm sure it wasn't so stubborn, is there a trick I don't know?


Many thanks
use a large socket of the correct size to drive it home , and check the shaft for rust.
 
If you do not have a socket large enough a piece of batten cut to the correct size and a gentle tap home and worked for me
Tip was from someone on here ;)
 
OK thanks for all you tips, I didn't have a socket large enough and again found it a very tight fit but tried using the end of a socket extension and gently tapped around the edge - making sure not to nip the rubber. It worked a treat! (See attached photo)

However with everything back together I'm not 100% sure the half shaft is all the way in. I checked CV joint against the original and both are same length. Hub is on tight and secure so can't think why the half shaft isn't tight against the seal... am I being paranoid?
 

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Just an update about the worry I had about the prop shafts. I just did the other sides CV joint and spotted a metal ring spacer that I couldn't remember seeing on the others side! Turns out mixed in all the old grease from before was a ring. Took off the previous CV joint and put the ring spacer back in :)
 
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