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So, sending the differential out to be sandblasted, and I want to fix all the leaks after I paint it before I put it back in the car. The pinion seal and axle seals are clearly leaking.

- Are these all obscure, or should I be able to match it up with a modern seal at a local parts store? I thought I'd ask now in case I need to order anything.

- How does the third member seal to the differential housing? Is it a cork gasket or something else? Also, do the axles shafts just pull out, or are there c-clips in the spider gears?

- Final question: how available is the pinion crush sleeve?

Thanks!

I changed my rear wheel seals with modern, they're available (for my car, anyway). I had it done professionally, because I needed to have the rear springs sent out and re-sprung anyway, and the gas tank removed, etc.

I just discovered last week that my rear main seal is leaking, so here's my plan. The pinion seals are available. If you get NOS, the inserts are leather (I'm pretty sure, based on what another forum member has told me). I've got a NOS, so I'm going to go to a bearing supply store and get a modern insert. I don't know if the suppliers such as Kanter or Merrit sell their pinion seals with modern inserts or not. Fred, I'm sure, may chime in and let us know.

There are two ways to go on the seals. There are very few seal applications for which you cannot find a modern seal. Folks like Kanters and Max have done the research as to sizing and seal materials; you can make life easy by paying them a bit extra for their research, or you can research it yourself. The best site I know of and one that I often use to find seals is the Timken website. You'll need to know the shaft diameter, the housing bore (seals are usually about 4 to 7 thousandths larger than the bore to allow for "crush" when installing), the seal thickness, and of course the type of seal lip and the material of lip or sealing surface construction. For gear oil, leather is far preferred over synthetics and rubbers. The Timken site covers all this in extreme detail.

Regarding the gasket between the pumpkin and the housing, you need to stay pretty close to the thickness of the original gasket; otherwise you'll be altering the alignment of the axles to the wheel bearings. Just measure the thickness of the original gasket and buy some gasket paper of the same or very similar thickness.

Though it may take a bit of effort and some creativity, rarely do you need an axle puller. No clips, axles are retained by the backing plate for most years (not sure which year/model you're speaking of). If you do change the wheel bearings or axles, don't forget to recheck the axle shaft end play and adjust as needed - very important.

PS - you'll have to rattle around a bit to find the specific information, but here's the starting point:timken.com/EN-US/products/seals/Pages/default.aspx

I'm working on a 1937 115C- unlike some of the more experienced Packard owners on this site, I'm on my first, and thus far, only Packard automobile. Sharing a name with a marquee doesn't mean every car I've owned has been a Packard!

Thanks for the insight on the Timken website. I'll check that out.

Incidentally, my front wheel bearings were replaced with Timken units at some point in the cars life. I'm thinking this indicates that the odometer reading of 37k is the second time around. I also think someone rebuilt the front end years ago. The king pins, lower support arm out bearings, and outer tie rod ends all seemed very tight, but all the rubber was shot. I think age vice mileage.

... getting a bit off topic- guess this is for my blog. Thanks, as always, O-D for the thoughts. I'm starting to think I should just bypass this whole forum thing and put you on speed dial!

Due to the volume of seals we sell, we've made most of them. Pinion seals with the guard/housing have been obsolete since the last millennium.

We have most crush sleeves.37-up. Rear wheel brgs are sealed type, like GM used from the 30's through the last RWD cars. Obsolete since Lyndon Johnson's presidency. We have them.

NOS or old leather should be soaked in oil for 24hrs before installation.

I doubt your car has 137,000 miles. Front seat would be very worn, springs tired and sagging. Gas/brake/clutch pedal condition?? original??

Old cars, even Packards from that era just didn't last that long.
Fords were likely to have many miles as they were cheap to run and a rebuilt V8 motor could be had for $70.

If lubed,Packard front ends lasted a long long time, well made. Rubber dried out, yes especially cars subjected to sun/heat

Ken P writes:
"So, sending the differential out to be sandblasted, and I want to fix all the leaks after I paint it before I put it back in the car"

If that means that the axle is NOT completely disassembled then sandblasting it is very risky. IF the plan is to just sandblast/paint then the blasting process will get sand in it. It's a real messy process.

I won't sand blast ANYTHING unless it is completely disassembled. That way it can be thouroughly cleaned.

Fred,
Regarding the statement that Dave made, "For gear oil, leather is far preferred over synthetics and rubbers. The Timken site covers all this in extreme detail."
What is your take on that? Is leather better? Should I just use the NOS seal as is, soaking it in oil as you mentioned? (I'm assuming you're suggesting soaking in the gear oil.)

Dave
Couldn't find what you were talking about on the Timken site. Can you provide a link?

mOdern cars leak less than old cars, the conclusion I draw is that modern seals are best. soak the seals in motor oil or neatsfoot oil, yoiu need a thin oil to penetrate. Whch ever seal lasts longer will undoubtedly outlast us and then some. That is except the way your father uses his car!

Thanks. I have two former Delphi engineers on retainer who are also befuddled about that statement. However, they've been seen covorting with the president of the Idiots Club on a regular basis, so that's understandable.

This, from one:

"Didn't spend a lot of time, but I poked around the Timken site, then went to CR Industries (Chicago Rawhide - now part of SKF). I thought of CR because they were a major customer [when I worked at Allied Spring]. We made millions of garter springs that supply the inward tension for their highly engineered elastomeric shaft seals. As their name implies, they used to make seals out of leather. I was at their facility nearly 25 years ago, and I believe at that time it had been about 40 years since they made a seal out of leather. (my guess)

Anyway, nothing at all on either site about leather.

Could it be that leather historically was favored over other early material choices? These guys are now making seals by the budzillions for all kinds of industries - rail, heavy truck, off-road construction, auto, etc. No leather in sight."