Reply To: 1965 Fastwin gear case re-seal

[Don]

billw wrote:

The drive and prop shaft seals are just plain tough to get out. I have seal pullers, and small jaw pullers for my slide hammer, as well as a torch. These usually just break up the brass seal cases and leave a mangled mess left, in the hole. I put on my patience cap, grab a small, half round cold chisel and start picking carefully away at it. If you can fold in the sides of the shell enough, it will come out, eventually.

Bill is sooo right, these seals are a pain on their best day, even with the factory seal puller tools. I recommend avoiding the pry bar methods, these aluminum castings are thin and will crumble before you get the seal out. Like Bill says, the slide hammer pullers usually just end up bending the metal seal lip upwards so nothing can grab on it. Yes, it is best to pull the rubber out of the seal before attempting to pull it out…Dave B made me a couple of pullers with expandable collets to help draw the seal up and out. But, the seal lips often bend up even with these tools, usually takes a few attempts. And, you need a different puller for each of the various seal inner diameters…
Another method I have had success with is bending an old screw driver at a 90 degree angle and coming at the seal from underneath. Remove the plastic screwdriver handle then tap against the seal lip from underneath. Again, you must be careful, the screwdriver shaft usually hits one side of the underside of the casting while tapping, you could bung up a bushing….But, even this method tends to bend the seal lip up.
Don’t feel alone, this procedure is a wrestling match on its best day….