Thread: SIII Front Axle stub

Firstly, you don't actually need to take the stub axle off, unless there is a leak. The 6 bolts that hold it in place are the same bolts that hold the brake backing plate.

Has someone used Sikkaflex or something similar as a sealant? If that is the case you'll likely never break the urothane bond.

To overhaul the swivels you remove:

• the drive flanges which will allow the half-shafts to slide through the stub axle (as you take the swivel housing off).
• You then remove the bolts holding the seal retainer and slide the retainer back to the axle housing.
• Remove the track rod and drag links.
• undo the top and bottom swivel pins.
• You can leave the brake hose connected to the cylinders on the backing plate and tie it out of the way.

Diana

So the 6 bolts securing the backing plate and the stub axle have been removed?

The stub axle is a slight press fit and is often glued on a bit as well - not to mention the axle shaft impedes movement.

A rubber/leather/plastic hammer usualy does the trick (or a lump of soft wood and a normal hammer).

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Firstly, you don't actually need to take the stub axle off, unless there is a leak. The 6 bolts that hold it in place are the same bolts that hold the brake backing plate.

Has someone used Sikkaflex or something similar as a sealant? If that is the case you'll likely never break the urothane bond.


To overhaul the swivels you remove:

• the drive flanges which will allow the half-shafts to slide through the stub axle.
• You then remove the bolts holding the seal retainer and slide the retainer back to the axle housing.
• Remove the track rod and drag links.
• undo the top and bottom swivel pins.
• You can leave the brake hose connected to the cylinders on the backing plate and tie it out of the way.

Diana

Thanks Diana, there was a ton of oil in the stub axle and hub. No grease present at all. Isnt there a seal behind the stub axle in the swivel housing? Id say that needs replacing?

Originally Posted by isuzurover

So the 6 bolts securing the backing plate and the stub axle have been removed?

The stub axle is a slight press fit and is often glued on a bit as well - not to mention the axle shaft impedes movement.

A rubber/leather/plastic hammer usualy does the trick (or a lump of soft wood and a normal hammer).

Ive used an assortment of beating techniques but the thing wont budge. There are remnants of a silicon that someone used but i wouldnt think that would bond that much. It seems to be a common theme on this LR that someone used a lot of hardening gasket compound and silicone goo when they didnt have a gasket. No grease on the wheel bearings just oil.

It was the same on the rear bearings, no grease but some oil was present, but thats been rectified with a new hub seal , grease, gasket and non hardening sealant for the flange,

Originally Posted by Wallydog

Ive used an assortment of beating techniques but the thing wont budge. There are remnants of a silicon that someone used but i wouldnt think that would bond that much. It seems to be a common theme on this LR that someone used a lot of hardening gasket compound and silicone goo when they didnt have a gasket. No grease on the wheel bearings just oil.

It was the same on the rear bearings, no grease but some oil was present, but thats been rectified with a new hub seal , grease, gasket and non hardening sealant for the flange,

I have never had one that couldn't be removed with a short, sharp whack or two.

It it is really stuck, you could (gently) use a tapered drift/chisel between the stub axle flange and the swivel housing, but you will then need to file both mating surfactes flat afterwards.

Originally Posted by Wallydog

Thanks Diana, there was a ton of oil in the stub axle and hub. No grease present at all. Isnt there a seal behind the stub axle in the swivel housing? Id say that needs replacing?

Are you saying there was oil on the outside of the hub (and inside the brake drum and backing plate) or just inside the hub?

The oil in the swivel housing and the oil in the hub inter-connect (no grease). There is an oil seal in the back of the hub that seals around a "spacer" on the stub axle*.

If there is oil on the backing plate that didn't just happen when you took off the hub, then you need to check/change the seal and check the condition of the "spacer" on the stub axle for wear and grooves. If there are grooves, you need to replace the stub axle** or fit a speedi-sleeve.

There is a gasket under the drive flange/hub interface and also a gasket between the swivel housing and the stub axle. Many people use silicone gasket instead of the paper gaskets in both places. I have also heard of idiots using Sikkaflex permanent urothane sealant where the paper/silicone should go.***

There is also a large seal against the large chrome ball, if you have leaking around that then you need to replace the seal, which usually means removing the chrome ball off the axle/diff housing.

Diana





* except in the SIII the spacer isn't removable as it was in the SI, SII & SIIa.

** This then creates a dysmal cycle at the point of this thread.

*** Sikkaflex is good while it seals, but a nightmare when it leaks as it needs destructive force to break the bond.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Are you saying there was oil on the outside of the hub (and inside the brake drum and backing plate) or just inside the hub?

The oil in the swivel housing and the oil in the hub inter-connect (no grease). There is an oil seal in the back of the hub that seals around a "spacer" on the stub axle*.

If there is oil on the backing plate that didn't just happen when you took off the hub, then you need to check/change the seal and check the condition of the "spacer" on the stub axle for wear and grooves. If there are grooves, you need to replace the stub axle** or fit a speedi-sleeve.

There is a gasket under the drive flange/hub interface and also a gasket between the swivel housing and the stub axle. Many people use silicone gasket instead of the paper gaskets in both places. I have also heard of idiots using Sikkaflex permanent urothane sealant where the paper/silicone should go.***

There is also a large seal against the large chrome ball, if you have leaking around that then you need to replace the seal, which usually means removing the chrome ball off the axle/diff housing.

Diana





* except in the SIII the spacer isn't removable as it was in the SI, SII & SIIa.

** This then creates a dysmal cycle at the point of this thread.

*** Sikkaflex is good while it seals, but a nightmare when it leaks as it needs destructive force to break the bond.

Diana, there was oil only inside the wheel hub , no grease. I thought that was supposed to be greased ie the bearings? Surprisingly no oil was on the backing plate. No grooves on the stub axle shoulder.

There is lots of oil leaking on the outside as well, through the swivel ball seal as there is a lot of movement (wear) in the swivel pins. Geez I hope thats not sikaflex on the stub axle flange? Ive given the stub axle flange a good thumping with a big ballpein and cold chisel but got no movement. I wanted to replace the seal behind it.

In the w'shop manual I thought it says to grease the wheel bearings and hub? Im a bit confused, is that supposed to operate on gear oil or grease? I thought that seal behind the stub axle is supposed to prevent oil getting into the wheel hub and free wheel hub? W

Hi Wallydog,

Series 3 wheel bearings and in fact the whole drive hub (including free wheeling hubs) are oil lubricated. Same oil as the swivel housing. Often people grease them when they are first put in so that they have lubricant until the oil get's through everything. There is a seal around the outside of the stub axle, rear of the hub but there is none inside or behind the stub axle. There is also a felt seal under the castle nut that holds the drive hub on that is fairly critical, I had a rear hub where there was none, just silicone under the washer and it didn't hold much oil in.

TimJ.