Axle Seal??

[william]

I'm getting ready to do this very job. I ordered my seals on rock auto they only showed one seal for the 90 festiva 5 speed.
so I ordered 2.
after reading this tread I was getting worried.
so I ran out and popped a seal from my extra 4 speed trans they match up .outer diameter and axel hole size.
the little dust peace on the very outer part of the seal is a little shorter.
So If the 4 and 5 speed trans have the same seal I should be good .
hears the part number 052-3520
beck/arnley is the brand.

[nitrofarm]

Ok here is what I've discovered... The oem ones were obviously different. The LH had the dust cup & the RH didnt and were 1/8 thicker. Thats the only difference. You can still get these from Timken,but its not necessary. I actually like the National seals better. They have a deep dust cup. The only thing I can think off was the LH seal would see more dirt and sand from the tire being so close to seal. So they made that seal with the protective cup. But why not have it on both sides? The most important thing though is the installation.Just dont install it to deep into the tranny(the further you push it in create's less contact with axle). 2" PVC union's make a perfect installation tool btw

[william]

Hey thanks for the tip.
the reason I went with the rock auto ones is autozone.
said they could no longer get timkins.
I checked my 4 speed and the seal looks to be just flush with the case.
That is how I planed to install them, is this correct?

[nitrofarm]

Yes you can take a mental picture of the seal before you take it out. But if its a different manufacturer like the Timken. The RH will be 1/8 thicker than the the national. So what I do is take a spare axle stub without the retaining ring installed. I then push this into the diff and see how the flange mates up to the new seal. Sound good? BTW I've always bought the Timken because of brand loyalty.But I honestly believe the National's are a better seal. But I'm still going with Timken bearings for now. I'm not saying the Timken is a bad seal,just like the design of the National better.