VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 31 rear wheel seal and more

Hello all,

First, I just got married, so it's been crazy and busy for quite some time. We're still moving.

The last time I drove my '31 it was in my friends wedding (not mine). At the gas station before the wedding, I noticed grease had leaked out onto my tires (and whitewalls). After reading, I've found that there are seals in the torque tubes, transmission and wheels. From what I understand, if any of these go bad it causes the transmission fluid to fill the rear end and overflow.
I first noticed a problem when the brakes seemed to not work as well. I suppose this was the grease getting on the brakes. I can't drive my car now and I'd really like to. I've searched on the site and tried to read as much as I can but it's hard for me to understand what I'm reading because I've never torn into one of these cars and so I don't really know what is being described.
I suspect the smart thing to do would be replace all the seals, because my car had sat for 50 years and has only been driven about 300 miles since I got it. What parts would you all recommend that I replace?
Also, where could I find a detailed explanation of how to fix this problem and in what order. Something I could follow as I'm doing it.
Please remember I'm only 29, and it's my love of these cars, not my vast mechanical knowledge that keeps me working on them, so I don't have a lot of experience with them yet, but I want to learn. I really want to keep my car all original, exactly as it was in the 30's, but I don't mind making concessions to mechanical parts if it makes the car safer or will allow me to drive it more often. I really want to be able to drive the '31 again before winter sets in.

Thanks,
Brandon

Hello Brandon,
Enjoyed reading your article on page 22 in the June issue of G+D and congratulations on your marriage too. Support her and she'll support you and that will make supporting the 31 Chev that much easier. The Technical Advisors are your best source for how to proceed with changing out the seals. I'll not attempt to guide you anywhere else. They know the manuals-parts-fluids-procedures-adjustments needed to do the job. From their comments, I'll learn also. I have a 1931 Chev Coach, so I'm sure I'll be doing the same job as you. If someone can comment, this is my question-[ Can fluid soaked brake linings be salvaged and returned to service by soaking them in brake parts cleaner or some other degrease? ] Well Brandon, again congratulations and good fortune.

Hello, if the car has the original woven brake linings they can be cleaned I did read anywhere. if there are modern brake linings they must be replaced.
take off the brake drums and there is a cap holding the axle shaft and wheel bearing with 10 bolts. remove the cap and inside the cap might be an old worn out felt seal. there is a inner seal behind the ball bearing too, but for first and fast aid you could take out the old outer felt seals and replace with a modern rubber lip seal. filling station deals with it. Search for rear axle seals in the catalogue and you will find it.

To replace the lip seal behind the propeller shaft in u-joint area you must take out the rear end and that is an awful dirty work.
So for first aid renew the outer seals behind that cap. this is done within one afternoon and not a big thing at all. additional you should open the filler plug at differential cover some times and let flow out the overfilled oil from transmission.


Stefan germany

Congratulations, she seems to be a great lady and able to compete with the old cars for attention. It is truly a blessing when the spouse also enjoys the old Chevys.

Changing the bushing and seals on the torque tube can be done with the rear end in the car. Pulling the rear end assembly is not too difficult and you can more easily check on bearings (particularly the pinion bearings which are often bad) seals and other parts. There is an article in the September 1985 issue of the G&D (pages 20-21) written by Larry Jackson on changing the bushing and seal. I have not searched but the article may well be in one of the issues that have been scanned and available to VCCA members on the website. If not email me and I can scan and email a copy to you.

Brandon,

So some of this is normal, even if you have the seals in great shape. Where I would start, is by draining the rear end once a month, that will help a lot. The general rule is you drain the rear end and fill the transmission. Now I would first pull the brake drums which you will need a good drum puller and then pull the axle out and change the inner seal. You can buy a replacement from the Filling Station. They are about $38 each but they work really nice. This should solve most of your problems.

By the way, congratulations.

Call me if you what me to walk you through doing this.

my prop shaft was so worn it had to be replaced along with the bushing and seal. the seal was of modern design from the filling station, replaces the original cork. I put a bottle of dye in the trans to monitor the migration of fluid front to back. about 500 miles with no evidence so far.

there is always the sealed axle bearing option to eliminate brake shoe contamination.

I would recommend that you purchase new rear wheel bearings, the sealed type and put them in with the rubberized sealer that most car shops use today. That seals all the oil inside, eliminating anything dripping on to your brakes.

The Filling Station sells them - Item # RW-455SS.

Thank you for all the replies. I'll definitely check the vcca website and try to find that article. I'll also try the specialist. I think I just look up my particular specialist in the VCCA magazine. I'll probably have to dig into it a little bit just to get an idea of what's going on.
If that doesn't work I'll probably take ya up on that offer to give you a call.

Are the disadvantages to updating to the new type seal?

Thanks,
Brandon

I found a good way to pull the rear brake drums without special tools or pullers. just open the big center nut a little bit, little bit means the big washer behind the nut must be free and should have play. it should be maybe 0,3 inch. than put in again the cotter pin or a nail. drive a bit and shake the car hard left, right, left, right like aslalom race and after a short way the drums will pop out against the opened but locked nut. after that jack up and you can take off the loosened wheel and drum without any tool just by hand. It did work all the time perfect at my car.

Stefangermany

Hi Brandon,
I remember reading that sealed bearings require that the axle housing be vented. There have been postings about different ways and where to make a vent. The Technical Advisor should guide you correctly if you decide on sealed bearings.

I used sealed bearings in our 31 for about 40 years. I did not vent the housing and did not have any problems. That is how I did it but that doesn't make it right.

I used sealed bearings on my 28 for about 30 years, and made the mistake of not checking the oil level which rose from the tranny.

Discovered it 4 years ago during a rebuild, when I ran out of brakes.

I still run sealed bearings, with modern type inner axle seals from Billy Possum, and more importantly a modern seal up the top end of the torque tube.

No problems since.

The key point is check your diff oil every 4 months or so and things should be ok.

No longer have to worry about greasing the rear bearings.

Never worried about venting the axle housing

Regards

Ray

I personally would put the vent hole in the torque tube and not the axle housings as it would be more protected from contamination entering. The entire assembly (torque tube and axle housings) are riveted together and air can move between them. If there is any air gap between the two major pieces then a vent would not be needed. That might explain why some apparently needed a vent and others did not. Another is that all sealed bearings are not the same. There are shielded bearings also that people call sealed even though they are not actually sealed.