Thread: HD Axle Install

It is about a 30 min job and you don't even need to remove the wheels.

However if you have greased hubs it is best to convert to oil lubricated at the same time. This is simply a matter of removing the hub and replacing the inner seal.

Thanks.
My 2011 130 would have greased hubs for sure.
I will hunt some inner seals!

Thanks

Originally Posted by isuzurover

It is about a 30 min job and you don't even need to remove the wheels.



However if you have greased hubs it is best to convert to oil lubricated at the same time. This is simply a matter of removing the hub and replacing the inner seal.

Replacing inner seal?? Is this the hub seal??

Oh you need to remove the axle seal as well.

When I received my MAXI-Drive axles many years ago they can with instruction on swapping over to oil lube'd bearings.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

It is about a 30 min job and you don't even need to remove the wheels.

However if you have greased hubs it is best to convert to oil lubricated at the same time. This is simply a matter of removing the hub and replacing the inner seal.

There's rather a lot more than that involved in this job. Yes, the hub inner seal needs to be replaced with the double lipped seal as fitted to the County hubs, but the stub axle seal also needs to be removed, & this will mean removing the needle roller bearing to get at the seal to remove it, & then replacing the needle roller. You will need to at least remove the stub axles as well as the hub in order to do this. Rather than removing the stub axle seal it is possible to cut the lips of the existing seal to allow oil to flow through to the bearings - a bit of a bodge, but it does work.

There are various schools of thought as to oil lubed front bearings:If you want lubrication from the diff right out to the drive flange you will need to remove the axle tube seal as well. Otherwise this can be left in place, & just have oil in the swivel housing out to the drive flange with the above modifications.

Some people advocate drilling a small hole in the stub axle to expedite oil flow to the wheel bearings, but this is not really necessary, & can be argued against on the basis of weakening the stub axle. After all, it does take a quarter of the vehicle weight at each axle.

It is a worthwhile modification, but it does increase the chance of leaks, & required more ongoing maintenance checks of the swivel housing oil level at regular servicing.

Cheers,

Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionel

There's rather a lot more than that involved in this job. Yes, the hub inner seal needs to be replaced with the double lipped seal as fitted to the County hubs, but the stub axle seal also needs to be removed, & this will mean removing the needle roller bearing to get at the seal to remove it, & then replacing the needle roller. You will need to at least remove the stub axles as well as the hub in order to do this. Rather than removing the stub axle seal it is possible to cut the lips of the existing seal to allow oil to flow through to the bearings - a bit of a bodge, but it does work.

There are various schools of thought as to oil lubed front bearings:If you want lubrication from the diff right out to the drive flange you will need to remove the axle tube seal as well. Otherwise this can be left in place, & just have oil in the swivel housing out to the drive flange with the above modifications.

Some people advocate drilling a small hole in the stub axle to expedite oil flow to the wheel bearings, but this is not really necessary, & can be argued against on the basis of weakening the stub axle. After all, it does take a quarter of the vehicle weight at each axle.

It is a worthwhile modification, but it does increase the chance of leaks, & required more ongoing maintenance checks of the swivel housing oil level at regular servicing.

Cheers,

Lionel

I think you are getting confused between series and 110. I am not sure which bearing you are talking about. My comments were also focussed on rear HD axles.

I know which bearing and seal Lionel is talking about, just trying to remember the specifics. I think it is front hubs only. My D1 front final drive definitely has a seal and bearing in the back of the stub axle. However I'm pretty sure the rear doesn't.

Originally Posted by Judo

...I know which bearing and seal Lionel is talking about, just trying to remember the specifics. ...

He said "needle roller". Only series landies have a needle rollers on the axles.

Here is the front axle assembly.



There is an oil seal at 8 and 23 that need to be removed. 16 is a bronze bush. You can remove the seal (23) without removing the bush (16).

http://forum.difflock.com/userpix/2841_front_hub_2.jpg

on all beam rears simply installing the HD hub and flange is only an hours work pull the cap, pull the circlip and shims pull the axle and slide in the new stuff.

Converting from grease to oil on the back is as simple as removing the axle end seal in the stub however it wont take long for the grease seal to fail and then you're looking at a should have done it properly.

with practice you can do both sides in an hour but in reality plan for at least an hour per side. Very roughly.

Jack it up.
pull the axle and drive flange
remove the wheel
remove the brake caliper
remove the stub nuts,
remove the hub
remove the seal
Reverse the above putting in your new seals and parts on the way.

the front isnt too disimliar with the extra steps of either removing the stub axle or seperating the ball joint housing required to change over the CV and half shaft.

pulling the stub axle is faster but sperating the ball joint also allows you to change out the ball joint seal and do the railco as you convert it from the semi liquid moly grease to oil.

If you want to goto a single housing configuration for the front you also have to pull a seal from in the axle flange to ball joint area. if you have the stub off and the axle out or the ball joint seperated you can haul it out by means of butchery.