Rear axle seal 356SC

[Peter Roberts]

Getting to the end of the rebuild and will hopefully post a write up soon.
I have just discovered an oil leak from the rear axle outer seal. I removed the hubs whilst working on the transaxle but not the bearing retainers. Did not go any further as everything looked in order and i read a post about the dangers, at worse,of the bearing coming out, shims in the diff dropping out and needing a complete axle build and at best properly refitting the bearing o rings correctly to avoid leaks. However I must have disturbed the oil seal and now its leaking.
Taken a look at a cross sectioned drawing and it appears the oil seal fits into the bearing retaining plate and as such can be changed without taking the plate off.
Can anyone confirm this is the case.

[Nine One One]

This any help?
http://forum.porsche356registry.org/vie ... 91#p311891

[Kneeslider]

I changed mine recently. I had everything in bits anyway, because I was taking the gearbox out for a rebuild. It all went pretty smoothly and nothing too taxing. The tip of using a little superglue to hold the bigger of the O rings in place is a good one, however I managed with a dab of red rubber grease.

Mine were leaking because someone in America had put the lip seals in back to front... My car was an unfinished project from the USA, and there was evidence everywhere of new parts and gaskets, and everything was nice and clean, but often assembled wrongly. You have to wonder sometimes about what people are thinking. When you discover something like that, you realise that you need to take EVERYTHNG apart as you can't trust the work of anyone else.

[Peter Roberts]

The photos show a drum brake version whereas i have the later discs as it is an SC. Nevertheless it appears that the seal can be hooked out without taking off the retainer. The drawing i have seen on line for the disc brake version also seems to show that the seal can be hooked out without removing the plate. Seals arrive today so i will give it a go. if the plate has to be removed its looks like no big deal other than securing the o ring on refitting

[Layercake]

Peter,

I replaced one side recently as it had started to leak, the only problem I encountered was I needed a puller to get the hub off. The larger of the 2 rings can slip out during the tightening process and get nipped, grease as mentioned will hold this.

Once you do one side you will probably want to do the other as I did.

The torque setting on the axle nut is important at the end, read your workshop manual before starting.

Good luck, the thought of doing it is harder than actually doing it.

[Peter Roberts]

Did the job without any hassle except the o ring. Tried Vaseline to hold it without success, then pipe thread sealer and it still moved. Tried loctite instant gasket and kept pushing it into position until it started to set and then it held whilst i put the cover on.
Despite having put the shoes on several times in the past these proved to be tricky. Eventual method was to put handbrake yokes on and put the nut on a couple of turns. Fitted the shoes on with only the rear spring fitted and put them into position behind the retaining clips. It was then easy to put the handbrake yokes in position behind the pins. Put on the front spring and the adjuster. Tightened the nut on the handbrake cable and popped in the split pin.
The restoration is now almost complete and its about to go to paint so will post pics when i get it back.