You may have heard of axle shaft seals and wheel seals. If you’re here, you may be wondering what the difference is between both parts.
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Some people use these terms interchangeably. These are actually different parts. It’s true that both parts are similar. Yet, they belong in different locations. If you’re shopping for a new seal for your axle, you want to make sure that you’re getting the right part.
Which seal(s) does your axle have? It depends on the type of axle you have. First, let’s talk a little bit more about each seal.
The axle shaft seal exists to prevent fluid from leaking out of the differential or transaxle. It also prevents contaminants from getting in. An axle shaft seal can be found in a few different places:
If you notice a leaking axle seal, replace it as soon as possible. If enough diff fluid or transaxle fluid leaks out, those components will be damaged.
The wheel seal is often part of a wheel bearing assembly. It serves two important purposes:
The wheel seal plays a large role in your wheel bearing’s longevity. It’s a large rubber and metal seal that is sometimes located in the hub. Depending on the design of the wheel bearing and hub, the wheel seal is installed either:
It’s always smart to replace the wheel seal when replacing the rear axle wheel bearings. A seal is a cheap part that protects expensive parts. If you notice the wheel seal has gone bad, replace it as soon as possible, and you may not have to replace the bearing.
Most full float rear axles don’t have an axle shaft seal. The axle shaft is sealed with silicone RTV when it is bolted into the hub. The hub has a wheel seal to protect the bearings. The wheel seal is installed on the back side of the hub.
Semi float axles have an axle shaft seal, but no wheel seal. That’s because on semi-float axles, the wheel hub and the axle shaft are one single part. The wheel hub doesn’t have bearings that need lubrication, therefore it doesn’t need a wheel seal. The axle shaft seal is pressed into the outboard end of the axle tube, just in front of the wheel bearing.
Most 8-lug 4×4 front axles like the Dana 60 have both seals. These axles have:
It’s not hard to figure out which type of replacement seal your axle needs. You can figure it out by:
There are two types of bearings: hub and wheel. Both employ the same physical characteristics of a bearing in that they house bearing spheres that are lubricated for spinning to allow the wheel to rotate. A major difference between the two is how they are assembled. Wheel bearings can be taken apart, lubricated and reassembled to be used again. Hub bearings are pre-packed at the manufacturer’s factory and are sold and installed as a complete unit. These cannot be taken apart for re-lubrication, but must be replaced.
Diagnosing car troubles by sound alone is an inexact science, but you should not ignore new or unusual car noises. According to an often-quoted study from Braxton Research, 51% of wheel bearing problems are found because of noise (24% are found during a brake job and 19% during an alignment).
Having said that, although noises from bad hub assemblies and/or wheel bearings come from the area of your wheels, not all strange sounds from the area of your wheels is assembly- or bearing-related. They could indicate a problem with your brakes or CV joints. And if the noise comes and goes with the application of your brakes, the problem is more likely brake-related.
Still, be sure to check your hub assembly and wheel bearings if you hear:
Other symptoms include:
This can indicate a worn or damaged outer CV-joint. However, it also can be related to excessive bearing endplay, usually associated with inadequate clamping. This noise is typically heard when cornering or making sharp turns.
Typically, this means there is mechanical damage in a wheel-end system. Related to a bearing, it means a loss of integrity such as roller or raceway damage. The noise is normally heard when turning or when there is a shift in load.
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This can signal excessive play in the CV-joints or U-joints. It also can be caused by excessive backlash in the differential gears. This is not generally associated with bearings and is normally heard either when shifting from changing directions, such as from forward to reverse or transitioning from accelerating to coasting.
These noises are normally associated with tire, electrical or drivetrain components. If bearing-related, the noise or vibration is present when driving in a straight line, but intensifies when turning the steering wheel slightly to the left or right. Typically, the side opposite the rumbling is the defective side.
This is generally associated with a damaged or worn tire, wheel or suspension component or severe chassis misalignment. When related to the hub or bearing, this normally indicates the loss of clamp or a bearing with extreme mechanical damage. It also can occur when lug nuts are not properly torqued.
This is normally associated with worn or damaged suspension components or tires that are out-of-balance or out-of-round. It is not normally indicative of hub or bearing damage.
This is normally indicative of a defective calliper or equalizer, but it also can be a sign of worn brakes or rotors. However, severe looseness related to a bearing can also cause excessive run out, which may cause the brakes to pulsate or pull. The most common cause is a warped rotor due to the calliper not retracting.
This is normally indicative of a bad calliper and/or a bad equalizer, which is not bearing-related. Severe looseness related to a worn or damaged bearing can cause excessive run out, which can cause uneven wear on the brake pads and/or rotor. The most common cause is a warped rotor due to the calliper not retracting.
There are many causes of abnormal tire wear. The most common are worn or damaged suspension components, misalignment, improper inflation or tire selection. While extreme bearing wear or looseness can cause abnormal tire wear, it is typically related to other failure modes.
In extreme cases, internal and external sensors can be damaged from excessive movement caused by too much end-play. This indicates a lack or loss of bearing clamp. This normally results from severe mechanical break up or damage. (Additionally, in designs where the sensor is mounted externally, sensor damage can result from corrosion, stones and other hazards.)
Most wheel bearings are hardened steel and can withstand a lot of abuse. Its two worst enemies are heat and water. Heat caused by lack of lubrication can destroy a wheel bearing. Water that penetrates a sealed bearing will also destroy it.
Most wheel bearings manufactured today are sealed. They come from the factory pressed together as an assembly: front race, bearing set, centre race, bearing set, and outer race, with seals on both the front and rear. Seals protect bearings from the elements, water, and debris, and they also seal in the high-temperature grease the bearing needs. When a seal is broken or damaged, the wheel bearing will fail and start making noise.
If you really want to know whether your noise is a bearing noise and you can get the car up on a lift, you can use an improvised stethoscope (actually a big screwdriver) to listen to the sound and find out where it’s coming from. Have someone in the vehicle start it and run it at about 40 mph. Using a long screwdriver or stethoscope, rest it on the hub near each wheel bearing. Careful! Don’t let the tool touch a moving part, or it could fly up and hit you. Listen through the handle of the screwdriver (or through the stethoscope) for the noise, and you will be able to determine which bearing is bad.
Or, you could simply bring your vehicle to us and have it professionally assessed and quoted on. Want to do that? Click here to get in touch with us today!
Any errors or omissions are not the onus of the publisher or supplier.
Source credits:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/dont-get-no-respect-wheel-hub-assemblies-and-wheel-bearings
https://axleaddict.com/auto-repair/What-is-a-wheel-bearing
https://www.knowyourparts.com/technical-resources/hubs-bearings/symptoms-of-a-worn-wheel-hub-bearing/
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