rear drive axle

[82 MCI-9]

I have oil leaking out of the driver side drum. Iam sure that i will have to replace the seal but i have never done this on a bus. Is it the  same as a car or truck were i have to drop the pumpkin and pull the axle or are they designed so that you can do this with out pulling the axle? The axle is a rockwell if i have to pull the axle out how many boxes of wheatties do i have to eat to do this? 

[darrenayres]

Don't know about your bus. You don't have to drop the axle on a MC9 or MC102 to replace a wheel seal.  Darren

[82 MCI-9]

I didnt mean that you take the entire axle housing out of the bus on a car or truck you have to pull the center section out to pull some clips out so that you can pull the axle out of the tube so you can replace the seal.

[Dallas]

I have oil leaking out of the driver side drum. Iam sure that i will have to replace the seal but i have never done this on a bus. Is it the  same as a car or truck were i have to drop the pumpkin and pull the axle or are they designed so that you can do this with out pulling the axle? The axle is a rockwell if i have to pull the axle out how many boxes of wheatties do i have to eat to do this? 

If it's like most heavy axles, you don't have to drop that 500# punkin.
Jack up the offending axle.
Pull the axle by removing the bolts on the end of the axle shaft. You will find that they are held in by cone shaped washers.
When all the bolts and washers are out, take a 3 pound machinests hammer and bang on the end of the axle. when it come loose, grab it and pull. Be careful, it weighs about 80#.
Once the axle is out, the duals, and brake drum will slide right off, (hehehe), the trick is to get them to move. I use a 4 wheel cart under the duals that I made, otherwise just lever them out with a crowbar.
Now you can see the leaking seal.
Wipe it off, obtain the number from it and take it to your nearest parts place for a replacement.
Once you've done that, use a small pry bar or large seal extractor to remove it from the housing.
Sometimes it'll stick to the axle in which case you'll have to beat it off of there or just cut it in two.
Get some emory clothe and clean up the axle where the seal rides. No grooves allowed. If it won't clean up, buy a speedy sleeve and put it on the axle. (OK Luke, I know you'll holler, but I've used them for years with no problem!).
Good luck, have fun, and replace the brake shoes at the same time.
DOT regs require that they be replaced because you cannot get all the oil off the shoes.
Get the shoes hot and they'll catch fire. Even months later.
While your at it, check the rollers, 'S' cam, spiders, slack adjuster, springs etc.
When your done with that one, go ahead and do the other side.
You'll thank yoursaelf later.

[Tom Y]

Dallas, You forgot the large nuts after the axle is out. Holds the hub on.  Probbally best to remove wheels, then axle, then hub.  Tom Y

[Dallas]

Yep,
Sorry,
I knew someone would correct me.
But then there are the keepers, gotta bend them out to get the nuts off.
I usually never remove the wheels because the drum is heavy and you have 20 more bolts to remove.
I just use my little cart or wedge them out with a pry bar. It makes it a lot simpler to reinstall, and causes less chance of damage to the new seal.

When you put the nuts back on, intall it according to MFG spaec or do what most mechanics do... tighten the first one until resistance is felt when spinning the wheels, back off 1/16th turn. Put the lock washer back on, then the outer nut. Tighten the outer nut really snug, without turning the inner nut. Now bend the Washer up to stop the outer nut from turning and continue as in the previous post.

Dallas

[littlehouse]

this is the first message for me so i hope i get it right. i bought an old pallet jack for $15.00; rebuild kit $50.00? it can lift 5500lbs.
put under tires lift a little, slides them in & out real easy.  mine has has about a 3' tall rack that stands up at the handle to tie to
if you could find something like that it might help alot. and i did replace both seals.
ray with the littlehouse on wheels

[Dallas]

this is the first message for me so i hope i get it right. i bought an old pallet jack for $15.00; rebuild kit $50.00? it can lift 5500lbs.
put under tires lift a little, slides them in & out real easy.  mine has has about a 3' tall rack that stands up at the handle to tie to
if you could find something like that it might help alot. and i did replace both seals.
ray with the littlehouse on wheels

Ray, Welcome to the insanity!
Join us more often and bring some show off pictures.

Dallas

[82 MCI-9]

this is the first message for me so i hope i get it right. i bought an old pallet jack for $15.00; rebuild kit $50.00? it can lift 5500lbs.
put under tires lift a little, slides them in & out real easy.  mine has has about a 3' tall rack that stands up at the handle to tie to
if you could find something like that it might help alot. and i did replace both seals.
ray with the littlehouse on wheels

                                     



Thats a great idea i never thought of using a pallet jack. How ironic my next door neighbor rebuilds pallet jacks for the county small world.  Welcome to the board there are alot of nice and knowledgable people on here.

[82 MCI-9]

 thank's again Dallas for knowledge and helping me out! but i will have to put the seal on the to do list wright now iam getting ready to do a 18" roof raise. Its almost panic time.

[youngone]

What an excelent idea about using a Pallet Jack for taking off the wheels.Someone got up early.

[DrivingMissLazy]

What an excellent idea about using a Pallet Jack for taking off the wheels.Someone got up early.

One of the best ideas I have seen in a long time. And we got two new members as a result. Welcome aboard.
Richard

[TomC]

Rather than pulling the tires, drum and hub as a unit, I'd highly suggest you pull everything apart.  Start by pulling the wheels off, then back off the brakes so you can remove the brake drum, then when you are at this point, can pull the axle shaft out, bend the nut keepers, remove the big nuts and the outer bearing, then remove the hub.  One, it'll make for changing the seal easier, rather than wrestling with about 400lb of bulk, since you'd want to lay the tire assembly down to install the new seal.  Also, unless you're very skilled at this and have done it many times, reinstalling that complete assembly has a high likelihood of damaging the new seal (doesn't that sound like fun to do it all over again!).  And most importantly, you'll be taking everything apart to inspect the complete assembly.  What condition is it in? Are some of the wheel studs stripped, is the hub cracked, is the inside of the wheels cracked around the stud holes, are the wheels rusted together, is there rust on the brake drum so the wheels are not seating squarely, is the outside of the brake drums cracked or warped-all these things are hidden if you remove everything as a unit.  You decide.  Good Luck, TomC

[Dallas]

Rather than pulling the tires, drum and hub as a unit, I'd highly suggest you pull everything apart.  Start by pulling the wheels off, then back off the brakes so you can remove the brake drum, then when you are at this point, can pull the axle shaft out, bend the nut keepers, remove the big nuts and the outer bearing, then remove the hub.  One, it'll make for changing the seal easier, rather than wrestling with about 400lb of bulk, since you'd want to lay the tire assembly down to install the new seal.  Also, unless you're very skilled at this and have done it many times, reinstalling that complete assembly has a high likelihood of damaging the new seal (doesn't that sound like fun to do it all over again!).  And most importantly, you'll be taking everything apart to inspect the complete assembly.  What condition is it in? Are some of the wheel studs stripped, is the hub cracked, is the inside of the wheels cracked around the stud holes, are the wheels rusted together, is there rust on the brake drum so the wheels are not seating squarely, is the outside of the brake drums cracked or warped-all these things are hidden if you remove everything as a unit.  You decide.  Good Luck, TomC

You raise some good points Tom.
These buses don't really see a service shop that often and the whole thing probably should be taken apart before hand.
When I mechaniced in the shop we did it the way I described because it was a lot easier to get the tractor or trailer in and out in a timely fashion. Especially if it was loaded. In some shops we even kept a couple of sets of tires, wheels, drums and seals all ready to go.
Pull one set off, slap the other on. and he's done and out of there.
A home mechanic may find it better to take everything apart just so he knows that everything is OK.
Thanks for sharing.

Dallas

[Stan]

I am guessing that this post refers to an Orion bus. Does anyone know if this bus has packed bearings or bearings lubed by the differntial oil. If it has packed bearings, it will also need an ainner seal..