True or false - On a swing axle when the brake drum is removed transmission fluid may leak from the axle seal because the brake drum when tightened on the axle applies a compression to the seal and therefore sealing the axle?

oil will leak if you remove the 'end cap' of the axle, not the drum. When the drum is off, there are 4 bolts underneath the wheel cylinder, remove those and pull towards yourself real hard, and oil will leak out.

Nope it shouldnt leak. Time to reseal the end caps. May help to jack the axle up when replacing the seal so the fluid doesnt leak out.

i just re-read your question and realized i was off. Ethan is right, reseal the end cap. Maybe try tightening the bolts?

I am referencing the axle shaft seal not the end cap seal.
When I had the transaxle replaced I had the shop go ahead and check and replace the seals, bearing, bushing, boots, etc. since they were already there with the exception being the brakes. They replaced all the bearings and seal for the axles and put everything back together so I could drag it home. So the other weekend I pulled the the brake lines and drums off to start cleaning and making pretty. I did get started on the tear down and I noticed a couple of days later a puddle on the floor under the left brake assemly. At first I thought it was just old brake fluid from the opened lines but the ye ole touch test pointed to nice clean oil and the only fluid in this chassis is transmission. Well further investigation showed that the oil was coming from between the seal and the axle shaft. I called the shop who did the work and they stated that it would leak and the drum secured on the axle would provide the additional compression on the seal to keep it from leaking.

If I understand you correctly you are talking about the seal that is pushed into the end cap that surrounds the axle. It shouldn't leak their either. The slingers in your hub are there in case they do but taking off the drum should not cause them to leak.

Thanks Ethan. I guess when I get Wheels back on I'll be going back to the shop.

It's back on wheels!








Got a another question - Why is the front suspension not level?

Looks great!!!

wow, clean! It probably didn't look that good in the factory!