As stated in the title, my velocity joint broke on the front left half shaft, inner joint. Now, this is usually a 15 minute swap and it doesn't take much to pull the old half shaft out and put the new one in. What is puzzling me is the shaft seal that goes into the trans-axle. I am unsure if it is ripped or not. It's a six dollar fix but I would like to be certain before I pull the old seal out and put the new seal in.

I am sure it is ripped because I am leaking tranny fluid which is usually indicative of a ripped seal. However, I could be leaking because the half-shaft (spleened end) came out of the tranzaxle which could also cause fluid to come out...

Again, this is a cheap fix but would like to gain the knowledge why I have it in the air and torn apart.

If needed, I can supply a picture of the seal.

Thanks in advance

Rick

Unless you did something unusual, those seals are pretty tough. My bet is it's leaking just because the axle is removed. An inspection, with a powerful LED flashlight, should be productive. Coat the splines and circlip with grease with moly; e.g. Valvoline SynPower Grease.

It's not leaking because I removed the axle. (theres no fluid left to leak) It leaked when it broke on the highway. Pulled the car over and there was a puddle of tranny fluid on the ground. Had my wife start the car while I was under it inspecting and the velocity joint started spinning and throwing fluid out of the tranny. I am just unsure if this is due to a broken seal or because the axle had already came halfway out of the transaxle...

I checked with a high-powered LED (military grade ;)) and I can see it fine but I am just unsure of what these seals are suppose to look like compared to what mine does look like. Give me a minute and I will upload a picture of the seal.

It's was likely leaking because the axle was no longer seated in the transaxle.

Here is the seal...

Damaged seal--you were right!

That's what I thought. Figured I'd ask though.

Got another question about brakes on a Blazer. I will start a new thread.

Thanks TGM

Ok. No one has this damn seal. But it makes me wonder, does my 4t40E trans require a new seal sleeve when the seal is damaged?

The seal comprises nitrile rubber, mounted in a steel sleeve. Use a seal remover (or large screwdriver) to hook and pry out the old seal. Lightly coat the new seal with grease and use a ball pein hammer and socket to install the new seal. A Google search of Timken Part No. TMSL260001 reveals plenty of product online.

That seal is not the same...

Which one is the right one?

The one in the picture... it just looked different and for $24, no thanks. I found some for $7-10 but I have to order it... I want it TODAY!

Did you try Advance Auto Parts? They have a National Part No. 3543.

I need your help ASAP... I got the seal, replaces the seal, put in the new half shaft, put the car back together... and it still does the same thing it did before.

I start the car, it runs rough (prolly due to lack of tranny fluid) and the boot that slides into the transaxle spins (while in park, which is not right) and tranny fluid gushes out of that insert on the trans. When I put that new half shaft in, I slid it in until the c-ring clicked and I wasn't able to physcially pull it out... so I am not sure what the heck is going on...

Any help would be great. It's a 4T40 Sealed transmission if that helps at all...

Did you properly seat the seal? Did you install the correct seal? Check it out in all specifics. Is the new axle OEM? Some Chinese import axle splines are not machined to OEM specs--they tend to be a sloppier fit. It's best to lay the old and new axles side-by-side and compare them--check the length of the inside splined shaft and the diamether of the inside joint, especially where it makes contact with the seal. My gut is the new axle is not an exact fit. When the new axle is installed, there should be no space between the inner joint and the transaxle housing. Other than that, I'm not sure what's going on.

It should require a small pry bar or large screwdriver to remove the half axle--it shouldn't pull out by hand.

I might be an idiot... thinking back through the entire process I realized I did not put that C-ring on the new half-shaft. Could this be what's causing it? Causing the half-shaft to come out of the trans-axle just enough for fluid to leak?

I thought even with the axle out the seal kept all of the fluid in? Yes, it was the right seal. It was a remanufactured axle with an extra gear on the outer side of the outer CV but I was told (by Autozone) that since it is a reman, it is meant for a variety of cars and the gear are for cars with no ABS..?

As of right now, I can grab the inner cv joint and pull and the axle comes out about 1/4"-1/2" but no farther... is that a big enough gap for fluid to leak through? Again, I thought you could pull the axle out and fluid wouldn't come out because of the seal?

Yes, that could be your whole problem. The "C-ring" is actually called a circlip. It's imperative that it be installed on the new axle. There should be zero clearance between the end of the inside joint housing and the transaxle housing. The outside ABS tone ring is optional, as the sales clerk at AutoZone said, if you don't have ABS.

Most replacement half-axles come, however, with a new circlip installed on them. It's weird your's didn't. This should be a 10 minute procedure--bingo, bongo, bango.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TxGreaseMonkey

My gut is the new axle is not an exact fit.

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That was my first thought. That the inner joint was just smaller than the rubber cup inside the trans housing. Causing it to A) Move as much as it does B) leak fluid...

Also, when I start the car (in park) the part next to the part circled (just to the left of it) spins... is this normal? What is indicative of this?

Take a Vernier caliper and measure the diameter of the circled 4 area in your picture. It needs to be the same diameter as the original. The male splined shaft also needs to be the same length as the original.

Basically, I would remove the half-axle and start over, being certain to compare both axles in all specifics. I don't know why the shaft is spinning in Park. Do everything right and see if the problem goes away.

I returned the original to Autozone because I had a core charge on the reman... would they be willing to give it back to me long enough to measure without returning the core charge?

They might, if it hasn't already been shipped out.

Update:

Went the AutoZone and rented the 30mm axle nut socket (again)... went back and got to the point where I am taking the axle out of the trans. I can't get it out... I've got a pry bar, screw driver, etc... and Im not sure how much force I can use against the inner boot cup without destroying it (because I might have to take it back)...

I will take pictures once I get that axle out to see if everything (seal, male spline, etc.. ) looks good.

P.S. The guys at AutoZone said my car doesn't have ABS and that extra gear on the new axle are for cars with but it's interchangeable.

Try reversing the pry bar from the normal direction and see if it come out. Also, try rotating the inner joint 90 degrees and try again. Rotate it another 90 degrees and try again. It should then come out.

Correct, the ABS tone ring being on the axle is not an issue for a non-ABS vehicle.

I've tried every angle, every way for the pry bar, etc...

I can't rotate that cv joint, or the joint cup. I can only lift it up and down a tad bit and in and out a tad bit... moving that inner cv joint isn't going to move that spline is it? What's happening is that circlip is preventing that female axle spline end from coming off the male end of the trans. (I think).. not sure how it came off so easy the first time..

I'm almost postitive that circlip is preventing the axle from coming out... is there a way to get it out without removing the tramsmission?

I'm out of ideas--see if a friend can assist you.

I'm running out of friends that know anything lol

I'm either really screwed now or I'm not... I used a huge pry bar after jacking up my car some more and gave it one big push and BAM!! The whole stub shaft came out with the half shaft...

Please tell me that isn't as bad as it looks.

It looks fine, from here. Before reinstallation, check all of the dimensions with the original. Coat the splines, circlip, and seal with grease with moly.

Umm... that is my stubshaft pulled right out of the differential... (still stuck on the cv axle) is this normal? And can I just slip it back into the spider gears?

That's how it works, Jack. Just be sure the axle you are installing is the right one. Again, there should be no room between the inner joint housing and the transaxle housing, when it's fully seated. You should feel the circlip engage in the groove.

So it's no problem that the stub-shaft came out with the cv axle? Does that just slide back in and the circlip pops into something on them spider gears?

I have never taken out a stub shaft before so I don't know how to really put it back in? It seems like simply sliding it back in would work but then of course if things were that easy I wouldn't have spent a week doing a 30-minute swap :D

Pull the axle all othe way out and take a picture of the end of the axle and the transaxle.

By transaxle do you mean stub-shaft?

The opening in the transaxle (transmission) housing, which the half-axle slides into.

Ok. It also appears that a seal on that stub-shaft is broke. The seal is on the end that the cv axle connects to right below the spline... might be worth just getting a new stub-shaft.

Give me a minute to grab so pics and upload them...

If you have questions about anything just ask... I am going to the gym to workout some aggression :D

I'm unfamiliar with the Stub Shaft, which appears to go deep inside the transaxle housing. Is this correct?

Have you consulted a Haynes Manual for your car? I recommend that you get one.

Yes. It goes deep in the trans and connects to some gears via that spline on the end. I have read the Hayes manual about the cv axle which didn't help but I will reread about the stub shaft.

The new female spline end looks smaller in the picture. It needs to be the same size as the original to properly seal.