IRS transaxle seal leak

[2381Buggy]

Please advise. It appears the final drive seal on the right axle stub is leaking because I've got a small amount of liquid oil leaking out the cv flange where it attaches to the tranny. It's not grease from inside the joint. (73 model)

In reading up on how to do this, doesn't seem too hard being in a rail. But, it looks like the seal changed from a 9.5mm to a 15mm over the years and so what I take out may be thinner than what I 'm putting back in.

This was a a VW part change from what I see. So how does this work-one person somewhere says he couldn't get the retainer to drop down far enough to clamp on after installing the new thicker seal. Do you just drive the seal further down and will that be enough? Seems like that would damage it. Or was the original seal not intended to bottom out and some space was left in there.

I do see where using some dielectric grease is best to keep from damaging the rubber of the new seal when pressing in.

[Dougy Dee]

15mm fits fine. The increased size makes it easier to keep it square/straight.

[mcmscott]

If it is leaking oil thru the cv joint the inner cup seal is bad. Most offroad cars omitt this seal dou to the axle hitting it and punching a hole in it. Remove the cap seal, clean all the gear oil out and fill this area with a good silicone, I use ultra grey.


https://weddleindustries.com/products/020-409-289-B/020-409-289-B
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[raygreenwood]

[jeffrey8164]

When the folks at Bxxxx built my transaxle for me they omitted that seal entirely and used a clear silicone. Of what type I do not know.
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[raygreenwood]

The only reason I ask about "type" of RTV..... is that if you are going to use RTV to build up replacement cap on this part....or make gaskets on transmissions......

You have to get the surfaces squeaky clean. There cannot be any trace of gear oil.

Most gear oils have sulfides or sulfur in them. The sulfur spoils or poisons a lot of RTV's depending on how they are catalyzed. They won't cure properly.

The Ultrs gray works pretty well but I have found out the hard way that it can be sulfur poisoned or inhibited.

One could just as easily say make damn sure to clean the bub very well with something like acetone, MEK or brake cleaner and not worry about it.

Supposedly, from what I have read, the Permatex gear oil resistant RTV has a different catalyst and has no worries with that. Ray

[mcmscott]

[2381Buggy]

Thanks for the reply. But if it's getting past the cup seal, which I would think is more a less a "dust" seal, doesn't that mean the inner seal is leaking? Or is it expected that the inner seal is going to leak some but the cup seal prevents it from escaping further?

[mcmscott]

[raygreenwood]

Yes, the oil leaks past the splines on the hub. The cap is the seal for those splines.

That cap as a seal is not a great design and a lot depends on who makes that cap, how well it fits, what kind of rubber around the edge. Just driving it in without the proper sized mandrel or socket can bend some of the caps enough that they pop right out.

Then there is the in/out sliding of the shaft on some CV set ups that hammers that cap, popping it off or putting a hole in it.

For a long time back in the late 90's it was hard finding "good" cap/seals and sometimes finding them at all when you needed one. I took to finding old ones that fit well....cleaning the whole assembly and using Ultra copper (then later ultra gray) to simply cement the cap in. Worked great.

The replacement of the cap with a plug of Ultra Gray makes more sense. Just get rid of the cap. Ray

[2381Buggy]

Ray, I think you answered my question best. The cap is sort of a secondary seal beyond the inner. I did not mean to say the inner seal was a dust seal, but possibly the cap. I may try the total sealer route and just eliminate the cap altogether.

[mcmscott]

[raygreenwood]

[mikedjames]

When mine leaked like that it turned out to be a cheaply rebuilt gearbox that was provided as an exchange.
The preload on the bearing was slighly less than it needed so the whole drive shaft and cup was slightly loose.

It needed adjustment. No mere mortal is meant to touch the preload but I screwed in the side cover in by about half a degree. With a new seal that lasted until the gearbox was properly rebuilt because the main shaft bearing had eaten into the nose cone.
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[2381Buggy]

Tackled my seal leak today. It was just the cap seal, the inner seal was dry -no leakage behind the flange, so I left it alone.

The old cap had a hole right in the center. So does this mean the axle shaft has been hitting it?

When removing the old cap, it did seem like it was not in as far as it should have been.

I did not seal up the hole, probably should have, but did use the Ultra-gray around the edges of the cap. Guess I will have to wait to see if the leak returns and another hole in the new cap.

[mcmscott]

[raygreenwood]

[2381Buggy]

Thanks for the replies... will see how long this lasts.

[richparker]

Great thread. Lots of good information and easily searchable.

I’m having this issue and I pretty much understand it. I think my issue is the final drive seal, at least I think that’s what it’s called. Is this the correct one for a ‘71 002?

https://weddleindustries.com/products/002-301-189-C/002-301-189-C

And correct sealing cap?
https://weddleindustries.com/products/020-409-289-B/020-409-289-B

Thanks!
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[oprn]

Yes, thanks for this!

I have a leaking one on my 002 in my sand rail. I re-used the old seals and the one on that side was a poor fit. I silicone-ed it in but now I know why it is leaking. I have not been too concerned about it because I know that CV joint is now getting well lubed. It does make a bit of mess though and I have to keep an eye on the oil level.

I was thinking of turning up a Delrin plug (because I have some) with an interference fit but the gray silicone sounds like a much easier fix.
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