IRS is out of the car and I am refreshing brakes, shocks, etc. Differential is sound with no issues except leaks. I am fixing a leaking differential which is completely removed from the IRS. Brake calipers are rotors are removed. See picture.
There are 4 bolts that hold the caliper retainers on the differential. When those are removed do I have access to the seal or is there something else that needs removal.
I know I can change the pinion seal from the outside. But for the stib axle they show both an o ring and a seal. Can those be changed form the outside of the carrier our do you need to remove the ring gear to gain access.
Undo the bolts securing the flange to the differential housing and the whole output shaft assembly can be withdrawn. There is a square section “O” ring deep in the bore where the assembly is removed from that should be replaced also.
The bearing is not an interference fit in the bore, the only thing that stops it from spinning in the bore is friction from the “O” ring, sticksion caused by oil with the bore into which it locates and friction from the nose of the oil seal; I’ve seen many examples where the outer race of the bearing has been spinning.
The method described in the workshop manual is flawed in my opinion. They say that allowance has been made when calculating the shim stack, to result in 0.003" squash of the nose of the seal. We use a shim stack that results in contact between the inner face of the seal housing and the face of the outer race of the bearing, therefore, clamping the bearing firm against the bottom of the bore into which it locates, and a greater compression of the nose of the seal.
The dimension of the bore and the OD of the seal results in a minuscule overlap and a method of sealing that was an after thought at best.
There are three different axles on the E-Types. More if you count on the later ones having been replaced by even later XJ6 axles. However, they are held on by 5 bolts. Make sure you remove all before you try to take the axle out of the housing. One thing they all have in common is the axles all have to come apart to change the seal.
Note that the original style of bearing for these output shafts are no longer available…the usual suppliers offer a substitute that is very different in design and is smaller and comes with shim/spacers to bring it up to original size…plenty of info on this forum if you search …diff output shaft…re use you originals if they are ok…Steve
Hi Steve,
Apart from there being no way of pre-loading the alternate bearing (no split inner race feature), the spacer for the outer race being supplied by at least one of the usual after market suppliers, is the same OD at the bearing, locating in the bore that the seal housing spigots into (larger by a few mm). When assembling the spacers and seal housing, the moment the spigot feature of the seal housing starts to enter it’s corresponding bore, all sight and control over the spacer is lost and it falls to the bottom of the bore unless some step is taken to secure it concentric with the bearing.
A simpler solution would have been to make the OD of the outer race spacer a transition fit in the spigot bore for the seal housing; clearly methodology must be above the pay scale of the guy that designed the spacer system for this application.
There is another bearing that’s available that is exactly the same as the original, except for a 3mm thick flange at one end. The flange can be machined off the bearing’s outer race to make it precisely the same as the original. Bill converted a set for a member who would be familiar to you from the UK E Type forum, Colin Low. The bearings are rather expensive, at circa AUD200.00 each and then they have to have the flange removed, but they are a better solution than the alternative using the 2mm spacers.
The best solution, of course, is to replace the whole output shaft, seal housing assembly with that using opposing, taper roller bearings, as used by S2 XJ6 onward and all XJS cars.
Hi Brent…yes everything you say is correct…was just letting the original poster know that it wasnt a simple replace…and to sesrch the forum becaus we’ve discussed this topic in depth befor…All the best …Steve
Thanks Bret. I got it all apart and now see what you are referring to. New seals are in and I am ready to insert drive shaft assembly Bach into the differential housing. Only problem is the o rings I got from 2 of the usuals are not flat and certainly not the same dimension as what was in there. I need to find a better o ring. Any ideas on sources?
Second question is there any trick when inserting the drive axle to ensuring the o ring stays in the right place.
