front and rear wheel seals.

i want to buy new seals because it seems like a good idea to repack the bearings on this 63 cj5 i bought a few days ago.
according to the 1960 manual i should repack the front every 6000 miles.
my question is.
where do you guys get these and do you have a part number?
also should i buy a few of them so i dont have to jump through these hoops again anytime soon?
if i seem ignorant about these vehicles it's because i am!
thanks
bill

 

First off, Which rear axle do you have? Flanged or tapered? The tapered will have a big castle nut holding the hub on. If you look on the axle tube where it joins the wheel backing plate, you will find a grease fitting. If so then packing the bearing is not required. Use your grease gun.

 

I just bought all my seals from Kasier-Willys. The fitment and quality were great.
:v6:
BenF

 

is this what i need?

http://www.kaiserwillys.com/product/827/Seals

 

You could always pull the old seal, clean it good and see if you can get a number off it. If you can your parts store can probably cross it, if not they can probably match it up by size od and id.

 

On the D-44 (rear) You will have either the tapered shaft or flanged. If you have the tapered axle (has outside cap w/inside castle nut) you will have only one seal and you have to pull the axle to get to it. Thats one seal each side. The bearing is greased by a grease fitting on top of the housing tube close to the brake backing plate, hence (no nead to remove axle to greas bearing). Now if you have the flanged axle ( flat at end of axle - no big castle nut) it will have two seals on each side. You will need a slide hammer type tool to remove the axle and special technique for packing the bearing. You should have the FSM when you dig this deep.

 

ive got the zirc on the rears and the front seems pretty easy.
yes i do need the FSM.

 

update
i never did figure out how to get my locking hubs off.
i am going to save up and take it to a mechanic and have the bearings repacked along with inner and outer seals replaced .

 

id like to repack the bearings but..
ive got a dirt driveway with no garage and i have to park in it everyday.
i dont like leaving tools and parts laying in the dirt for a week at a time.
everything i try to do takes more than one weekend.
i am not being a quitter but i just have to face the fact that some things are going to be hired out.
it will probably be at least a weeks wage to repack the bearings. ( about $350)
i have no tools or the time or space to do it in.
i had to rebuild my brakes on my kitchen table for instance.
i am getting more and more zen as my jeep ownership goes on....
it's an antique vehicle and i need to think of it like that.
now that the really big issues are taken care of.
i am not near as frantic.

p.s.
i am having a hard time imagining putting 1000 miles a year on this thing.
so a repack is only going to be every 5 or 6 years.

 

Re the front hub bearings, typically you repack the outer front wheel bearings, and leave the inners and seals alone. Replacing the seals and repacking both bearings is excessive for every 6000 miles, IMO. The exception would be if you get water into the hub - if so, the grease will look like mud, and you'll need to clean it out and repack the bearings. The inner bearing will not come out without removing the seal, and removal will ruin it.

 

there was water in my front differential....

 

I'd say that since the Jeep is new to you, and you know there was water in the front axle, then it would behoove you to rebuild it properly. After that, it should last the rest of your lifetime. And if you're planning on any mountain trails, given where you live, I'd want all systems as functional and dependable as possible! That's why I'm rebuilding my '56 from the ground up and doing all kinds of performance/safety upgrades, I don't want ANYTHING breaking while I'm coming down Black Bear.

 

turn it around?


i drained it and cleaned it out as best i could then filled it again.
it has been driven 2 miles since then.

 

i just got a quote from my favorite mechanic.
$200