What the hell lubes the bearings? Dana 35 non-c

[Automan2164]

Quick question for those who have been this deep in your Dana 35.

 

The right rear axle seal is toast. I imagined that I would be replacing it while I was applying liberal amounts of brake cleaner to that side replacing a wheel cylinder. Low and behold, it failed.

 

My question is this. I have done many c-clip axles, but never a non. I picked up the outer seal that is affixed between the bearing and the plate, but I just caught a blip about an inner seal in the FSM. It doesn't mention much, other than how to replace it. Is this correct? If so, are the bearings grease packed like a trailer/spindle axle? I would find it hard to believe that there would be an inner seal, especially when there is all that groovy gear lube just waiting to keep the bearing cool and lubed.

 

In summary:

 

1. Have you guys replaced or dealt with the inner seal?

2. If it exists, do you just grease pack the bearing?

 

Any help/guidance is thanked in advance.

Rob :cheers:

[mnkyboy]

There shouldn't be an inner seal. The oil flows down the tubes to the brearings.

[Automan2164]

I was hoping you were right, but there is an inner seal. If I were a betting man, I would say that you pack the outer bearing like a spindle bearing.

 

Outer seal on the shaft:

 

 

Inner seal in the end of the tube:

 

 

Rob

[HOrnbrod]

Weird. Must be a non c-clip D35 thing only. So how do you get the inner seal out? Stick a rod like a pipe thru the other side and drive it out?

[Eagle]

I was hoping you were right, but there is an inner seal. If I were a betting man, I would say that you pack the outer bearing like a spindle bearing.

Yep.

 

If I was a betting man, I wouldn't bet against you on that.

 

Pack 'em.

[pamike]

my dana 44 in my old 78 cherokee was like this. it had an inner seal. just pack it with wheel bearing greese... now the wierd thing is i had a non c-clip axle in my 88 comanche and i don't remember an inner seal. i went through this on my cherokee. it seems that some get lubed by the gear lube and some use the bearing greese. i guess jeep couldn't make up their mind on this. i believe i used a slide hammer with a hook on the end to remove the old inner seal.

[Automan2164]

Weird. Must be a non c-clip D35 thing only. So how do you get the inner seal out? Stick a rod like a pipe thru the other side and drive it out?

 

I could have used a slide hammer/hook, but it looked easy enough to get out. I just used a pair of channel locks, opened them up, got the head behind the seal, and put the other jaw on the flange of the axle... Hooked it and it came right out.

 

Don, the '92 FSM for the D44 says that you have to "pack the axle shaft bearing with wheel bearing lube"... I think this might be a non-c axle thing. M20 calls for it also. I did find what looked to be heavy grease on the bearing side of the inner seal I scraped away with a flat head.

 

my dana 44 in my old 78 cherokee was like this. it had an inner seal. just pack it with wheel bearing greese...

 

Thanks for the verification... Probably going to pack it like you said.

 

Rob

[HOrnbrod]

Don, the '92 FSM for the D44 says that you have to "pack the axle shaft bearing with wheel bearing lube"... I think this might be a non-c axle thing. Rob

Yes, but there are no inner seals in D44s except for the real old models like the early CJs. The axle bearings are lubed by the gear oil.

 

Since your D35 has the inner and outer seals, here's a good tip you might can do before assembly to keep the bearings lubed easier.

 

http://www.jeeptech.com/axle/zerk.html

[Eagle]

Don, the '92 FSM for the D44 says that you have to "pack the axle shaft bearing with wheel bearing lube"... I think this might be a non-c axle thing. Rob

Yes, but there are no inner seals in D44s except for the real old models like the early CJs. The axle bearings are lubed by the gear oil.

 

Since your D35 has the inner and outer seals, here's a good tip you might can do before assembly to keep the bearings lubed easier.

 

http://www.jeeptech.com/axle/zerk.html

That's an interesting link, and I suppose some grease is always better than no grease. However, just squirting some grease into the general vicinity of a bearing is NOT "packing" the bearing. There is no substitute for actually working the grease into the spaces between the rollers.

[HOrnbrod]

However, just squirting some grease into the general vicinity of a bearing is NOT "packing" the bearing. There is no substitute for actually working the grease into the spaces between the rollers.

Well of course not, but it can't hurt. It would prolong the bearing lifespan. I remember installing radios in the few remaining Marine M-151s back in the day and they had Zerk fittings on the rear axle tubes just for this purpose.

[mnkyboy]

There shouldn't be an inner seal. The oil flows down the tubes to the brearings.

 

Sorry about the bad info,I checked my old D35 today and it has the inner seal as well. For some reason I was thinking it was like my D44 which doesn't use one.