Thread: Ashcroft HD CV shafts and front diff seals - leaking?

Originally Posted by twr7cx

As for removing the collars, it's not too hard. First the shaft needs to be taken off the vehicle. Then I used wood with a hole cut in it to tap them off. They're just a press for. Care does need to be taken to not bend them.

Have you taken the CV off then? I do not want to touch the CV. My plan is to use some heat (plumbers torch) on the collar which should expand it and it should fall off the halfshaft with little help. Friend of mine has reported this method worked a treat for him.

Originally Posted by petmic

Have you taken the CV off then? I do not want to touch the CV. My plan is to use some heat (plumbers torch) on the collar which should expand it and it should fall off the halfshaft with little help. Friend of mine has reported this method worked a treat for him.

I left the CV in place.i used two pieces of timber with half moon cut out and screwed into place too get in between the CV and collar.

I noticed that Britcar have listed NAK brand oil seals now - FTC4822 | OIL SEAL DRIVESHAFT P38 NEW RANGE ROVER | Eurospare | Discovery 2 - 1999 to 2004 | Britcar (UK) Ltd - none in stock though. Their supplier is Eurospare.

On another note, and putting it here for my records so that I can find it again when I want/need to. I disassembled the the passenger side and removed the current seal (which I fitted back in April after the leaking started in January/February which caused me to originally start this thread). The seal had not ripped like the other two, but the lip had stretched out and the spring had moved, so it wasn't in great condition. Fitted a new seal, AllMakes4x4 brand and changed the dust shield collar piece over on the shaft to the new ones and refitted. Hopefully this is the last time for a long time!

Inspected the other side which I did back in late August with the new seal and shields and they're still dry. One issue I did note is that the new shield had some surface rust on the outer side. The OEM shields have pitted and corroded over their 11 year life, but not surface rust so I assume the material used is different. Note for anyone getting them done to perhaps consider a stainless steel material rather or some other metal less likely to rust. I sprayed it with fish oil in hopes that it might reduce further rusting.

Originally Posted by twr7cx

I noticed that Britcar have listed NAK brand oil seals now - FTC4822 | OIL SEAL DRIVESHAFT P38 NEW RANGE ROVER | Eurospare | Discovery 2 - 1999 to 2004 | Britcar (UK) Ltd - none in stock though. Their supplier is Eurospare.

I wanted to order that about a month ago. I spoke to Britcar and they didn't know when it will be in stock. My impression is they only list it on their website but have never got it in their stock.

I did about 1000km with the new shield i got made and Allmakes PR2 seal. All good so far.

My gut feeling tells me the Allmakes PR2 seals are probably better than Indian made ones distributed by LR, Britcar & Bearmach. But neither of them will work with the genuine shields with 35mm dia.

Originally Posted by petmic

I wanted to order that about a month ago. I spoke to Britcar and they didn't know when it will be in stock. My impression is they only list it on their website but have never got it in their stock.

In the past I have ordered various items through Britcar that have been listed as not in stock on their website and they have ordered it in for me once the order has been placed and paid for. I imagine that the NAK seal is not a brand that they will ever keep in stock and on the shelf.

A question, why have you reduced the diameter of the collar to 34.2 mm and not to 34.0 mm?

Originally Posted by xuddle

A question, why have you reduced the diameter of the collar to 34.2 mm and not to 34.0 mm?

Where does the 34.2 mm figure come from? When I had my new units manufactured they were made 1 mm smaller than the originals - not sure what exactly that equaled though.

This 34.2 came from one of my posts as i was the first with that "experiment" of reducing the mudshield's OD to not kill the 35 ID seals... it came out like this as i had more brand seals, some of them had 35.18, others 35.07 and the man with the griding machine reduced the mudshield's OD step by step, first to 35.4 and which seemed tight cos he tried the seals on it, then to 34.2 and this seemed OK , made a test with 35.0 too and he was worried that the seal wasnt tight enough so his recommendation was to leave them at 34.2 and if it will leak this way will go down to 34.0 and i agreed but on a second thought we decided to fit one 34.2 ond one 34.0 ...the fact is that i've fitted the 35.18 allmakes seals and it's dry like a bone after more than 4000km....that's all...unfortunately i was dumb enough to not wright down which is where and as my memory is not the best i dont even know hoe they are now