leaking rear axle bearing 1960

[Jef S.]

I am having trouble with the rear axle bearing and its seal on the right rear of my 60. It seems to be weeping gear oil into the brakes. I have had the seal replaced twice now. The first was a auto parts store replacemant the second was a Corvette Central replacement. They were the same even had the same National parts number stamped on them. I have not been able to find any exploded view showing a seal of any kind other than the O rings incorporated into the bearing. Is this a common problem with these cars and is there any "fix" to the problem.

Thanks

Jef Steingrebe

[Edward J.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Jef, its possiable that there is a bad groove on the axle shaft where the seal rides and may not be sealing correctly?Another thing to look at is the area around the seal perimeter to see if maybe its that area that leaking not the seal its self.

Also check the rear diff. vent to see that its not plugged up. It needs to breathe or it will look for any area it can to breathe like the seals.

[Terry D.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Jef
I had the same problem on a 62, Bubba must have tried to pry the bearing out with a screwdriver. Anyway go get some Loctite 680 Retaining compound and just follow the directions. It's been 3 years and 13,000 miles with no leaks.
Terry

[Tom P.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

There is ZERO, nada, none, zip axle seals on 56-62 Corvette rear axles (same design as 55-64 pass car axle/bearing).
The 56-62 rear axle bearing is manufactured with an integral seal BETWEEN the inner and outer race, with a groove(s) around the OD of the bearing for one or two (depending on bearing manufacturer) O-rings.
The bearing is pressed onto the axle shaft and then retained with an even tighter fitting pressed-on lock ring.
The O-ring(s) around the bearing is what seals the OD of the bearing in the end of the axle housing. The seal BETWEEN the races is what seals the bearing itself. There are no other axle/bearing seal(s) for the 56-62 axle/bearing.
I've pointed this out a bazillion times, but it won't hurt to do it again. A bearing seal (the one between the inner/outer races) can be purchesed. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, to replace it, requires removal of the bearing from the axle (remember, the bearing is pressed on and retained with a lock ring). To remove the bearing, it is necessary to first remove the lock ring. THE LOCK RING MUST BE DESTROYED TO REMOVE IT FROM THE AXLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once the lock ring is removed, the bearing can then be pressed off. Once the bearing is removed, the seal has to be pried out of the bearing. THESE BEARINGS WERE MADE BY VARIOUS MANUFACTURES, AND A NEW SEAL PURCHASED FROM NAPA, O'REILLY, ETC, ETC, MAY OR MAY NOT FIT THE EXISTING BEARING!!!!!!! But, if the seal is replaced (successfully), and pressed back onto the axle, THE LOCK RINGS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE SEPERATELY!!!!! THE ONLY WAY TO OBTAIN A NEW LOCK RING IS TO PURCHASE A NEW BEARING!
Additionally, if the bearing seal is leaking (the seal between the races)---------------THERE IS A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THE BEARING IS GOING BAD! So it would be wise to just eliminate any possible future problems and just install a new bearing and be done with it.

[Domenic T.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Not sure about this and it's been a long time since I had one out but I thought there was also a gasket on the 4 bolt back plate?
DOM

[Tom P.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Not sure about this and it's been a long time since I had one out but I thought there was also a gasket on the 4 bolt back plate?
DOM

That is exactly correct, and they are still readily available from you local friendly auto parts store----------------------but don't count on any of the young parts guys to be able to find it on the computer------------even though it IS there! I have a stash of about 50, and about 25 third member gaskets.
If you need to order the gasket, and your parts kid can't find it, I'll be happy to give you the part number-----------------it's made by 3 different gasket suppliers that I know of.

[Domenic T.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Tom,
Didn't that gasket keep oil from getting out of the housing and on the brakes?

DOM

[Tom P.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

DOM,
The gasket fits between the INSIDE of the backing plate and the axle bearing retainer. Its purpose is to seal off any possible leak that may occur if there is a rearend lube leak through the bearing that could come into the brake area. BUT, the axle bearing retainer is simply a piece of stamped sheetmetal and if it became warped enough from the torque of the 4 bolts (at each corner), then the retainer may not exert enough pressure against the gasket to prevent oil from leaking into the brake area.
The backing plate itself has a small hole just below where it fits around the end of the axle housing. The bearing retainer has a bulge on the lower side which matches that hole. IF there is a lube leak from the rearend, the lube is SUPPOSED to be directed to that hole in the backing plate and then drain to the OUTSIDE of the backing plate so that it doesn't get into the brake area. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[Domenic T.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Jef,
Sounds to me from what was said here that the gasket may be something to look at also.

DOM

[Larry C.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Seems to me that if the O-ring(s) around the bearing and the bearing seal between the inner and outer races, as described by Tom, were doing their jobs, lubricant would not be leaking into brake area; therefore, the gasket that seals the backing plate and the rear axle retainer would not be an issue.

So, if you're getting lubricant into the brake area, the O-ring(s) and/or bearing seal are the primary problem and the gasket is secondary.

Is my thinking correct or flawed?

Larry

[Tom P.]

Re: leaking rear axle bearing 1960

Seems to me that if the O-ring(s) around the bearing and the bearing seal between the inner and outer races, as described by Tom, were doing their jobs, lubricant would not be leaking into brake area; therefore, the gasket that seals the backing plate and the rear axle retainer would not be an issue.

So, if you're getting lubricant into the brake area, the O-ring(s) and/or bearing seal are the primary problem and the gasket is secondary.

Is my thinking correct or flawed?

Larry

100% correct!!!
And as I originally mentioned, if the bearing seal is leaking, there is a VERY good possibility that the bearing is beginning to go bad.
Here is a good view of the bearing end of an axle showing the bearing retainer, bearing and lock ring.