chardy
Overdrive!
I thought I would write a quick note on my experience of replacing my swivel seals using a cheat method.
Most of us who are hands on at repairing our own trucks where we can, will have considered or done a seal replacement on the steering swivel joint. I have done one pair in the past properly, wheel off, disconnect track/steering rods undo the notorious lock threaded bolts holding the hub on and drawing the whole lot off/out (heavy!!) and replacing the seal. It took me about 5 hours in total. Im not the fastest worker!
I had heard of just cutting a new seal so that you can replace it without removing the hub. I thought I would try it. I understand all the doubts about doing this so I am just writing of my fitting experience using this method.
After jacking up the truck and removing the wheel I had to clean down the joint prior to starting anything. Not as easy as it may sound. Removing the wire support spring and separating it at its joint was simple, as was cutting the new seal to fit it over the axel. However by the time you have got the seal over the axel it is badly twisted, there is little room there! Gluing the joint back together with impact adhesive (instant) was a fail, trying to keep everything clean was difficult, re fitting the spring was not particularly satisfactory and by the time i reseated the seal in its position in a hard to see if its clean, site, and coverd the glue joint in a little sealent, an hour had passed. I pretty much have relied on the metal seal cover to hold everything in place.
Needless to say I have just done one like this, hour and a half in time. The seal currently works but to get to the point of this note I really would not recommend this method, it is difficult, frustrating and for an extra half hour I could have actually done it properly and then hopefully only the once.
Most of us who are hands on at repairing our own trucks where we can, will have considered or done a seal replacement on the steering swivel joint. I have done one pair in the past properly, wheel off, disconnect track/steering rods undo the notorious lock threaded bolts holding the hub on and drawing the whole lot off/out (heavy!!) and replacing the seal. It took me about 5 hours in total. Im not the fastest worker!
I had heard of just cutting a new seal so that you can replace it without removing the hub. I thought I would try it. I understand all the doubts about doing this so I am just writing of my fitting experience using this method.
After jacking up the truck and removing the wheel I had to clean down the joint prior to starting anything. Not as easy as it may sound. Removing the wire support spring and separating it at its joint was simple, as was cutting the new seal to fit it over the axel. However by the time you have got the seal over the axel it is badly twisted, there is little room there! Gluing the joint back together with impact adhesive (instant) was a fail, trying to keep everything clean was difficult, re fitting the spring was not particularly satisfactory and by the time i reseated the seal in its position in a hard to see if its clean, site, and coverd the glue joint in a little sealent, an hour had passed. I pretty much have relied on the metal seal cover to hold everything in place.
Needless to say I have just done one like this, hour and a half in time. The seal currently works but to get to the point of this note I really would not recommend this method, it is difficult, frustrating and for an extra half hour I could have actually done it properly and then hopefully only the once.
