Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

Greetings,

I made the mistake of purchasing the wrong bearing seals for my application. I am hoping that someone can educate me.

When I purchased the truck, the rear was converted from 6 lugs to 5. Since I want to replace my axles, I am opting to also replace the bearings and seals. You can see the installed new bearing in the first picture.

On the left side of the second picture you can see the slightly distorted seal that I removed. On the right side is a new seal (63 - 64 Chevy C10) that I ordered from Classic Industries which does not fit. The part # is W8477. Notice the difference in shapes.

I believe that the normal/standard seal for a 64 C10 is not what I need for my setup.

Thoughts? Let me know please. I am happy to provide more pictures if needed.

Edward

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

Looking at Quick Performance it looks like your seal is "coarse spline only" - which I think means 17, not 31 - which do you have?

Product Image
YMS8477S [30188]
NON-Stock Spline $44.89
Yukon Mighty Seal 12T Axle Seal for 63-64 Coarse spline
12T axle seal, 63-64 COARSE spline ONLY.Yukon Mighty seal.

Pic at: https://www.quickperformance.com/Diff-Wizard_ep_54.html

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

Was the five lug conversion done by just swapping out the axle shafts, or was the entire axle replaced with one from a later year truck? Where does the trac bar mount to the axle?


By the looks of the old seal, I'm thinking you need a seal for a 65+ 12 bolt

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

I am interested in seeing how this works out. I have a 63 that has the original rear and 17 spline axles. I am getting ready to purchase a posi which I can only find for I think 30 spline axles which I think is the '65 and up. I will probably end up getting a set of 6 lug 30 spline axles from Moser or another supplier. I am also buying the install kit which has the shims, bearings, and seals. My understanding is all the 63 to mid '70 when they changed from 6 lug to 5 lug are the same housing and axle length with the exception of the 63 and 64 axles had 17 splines and in 65, they went to 30 spline. I will be curious to see what people think or have experienced before I buy the install kit.

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

Rear Axle Seal = National Seals 8871 (these are for the 1964 housings).

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

I added two more pics. This was the first time I tried adding pictures while replying to an initial posting. I am not sure I attached them properly. In case I did not, let me try to explain things.

i counted 30 splines on the axle I removed. The 2nd picture shows the axle. The new axle also has 30 splines. The splines on the new axles are longer than the ones on the axle I removed. The axles I purchased are part of a 5 lug conversion kit I got from Speedway Motors. It is actually a CPP kit.

The 1st picture shows my red trac bar. One end is attached to part of the frame near the driver side rear wheel. The opposite side of the bar is connected to the rear end housing. That connection is to the right side of the pumpkin if you were facing the pumpkin from the back of the truck.

Given the 30 spline axle that I removed, should I assume that the five lug conversion was done by replacing the entire axle replaced with one from a later year truck?

And based on rbruno's comment, it seems like I would need seals for a 65 truck.

Right as I was about to finish typing this, I noticed Rocknrod's comment about the 8871 National Seals.

Thanks to everyone that weighed in.

Edward

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

I am pretty sure you have a later rear in your truck. I believe the 63 and 64 12 bolts had the track bar mounted on the passenger side axle tube. My 63 does. And, I think the 64 was the same. 65 it moved to the pumpkin which is what you have. That would also make sense that you have 30 spline axles. At some point, the axles get a little wider, I think some time during the '70 model year. You could have the later rear and it came with the 5 lug axles from the factory. Do you know from the previous owner that the axles were changed to moved from 6 lug to 5 lug or was the entire rear changed which included 5 lug axles? Still wondering about the seals and the different years with these axles.

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

I wish that I could answer the question regarding the type of swap rbruno.

The prior owner had passed before I purchased the truck from his wife. And his wife did not know the answer either.

Edward

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

There was only 2 widths of 12 bolt axles. The 63-70 axles were narrower than the late 70 to early 80s 12 bolt

Re: Need advice on which rear axle bearing seal to purchase - 64 Chevy C10
 

Thanks again for everyone's input.

I had seal success using Timken #8835S off of Amazon Prime.

That last character is a letter S.

Edward