Dana 44 inner hub seal? What the heck?

[roger0080]

OK. After much reading of the bad terminology in the thread, I get what JimmyDean is going through!

That 2 part seal design that has the large metal ring + the large rubber seal is what I tried to use. I remember that I was stumped as to how you get the rubber seal part up onto the deflector/shaft assembly. The large rubber seal was a loose fit in its metal ring until you try to get it pushed onto the shoulder of the deflector/shart assembly. It was a bugger to try to get it up onto there. Then when you did, It was TIGHT! and this was just on the bench for a trial assembly. When assembled,I couldn't see how it seals anything. It sealed the shaft alright! but between the rubber and the press in metal ring, it was no sealing. I don't get it, and still don't. Must be somekind of compression sealing after the complete assembly on the vehicle.

Originally when I took mine apart (1971 K20), I had a one-piece style seal that we are all familiar with. It had a number on it: 53C737. I took it to NAPA. This was a Chicago Rawhide part number that is not valid today. The closest they had was NAPA #19970 which is Chicago Rawhide #19970. It was a pretty close match so I used it.

To make a longer story short, I ordered 5 ea., sight unseen ,the correct GM seal, part number 6259190 from an east coast dealer. 4 of them where the 2 part metal and rubber seal as in the NAPA photo by Woodrige. The 5th was a Chicago Rawhide one-piece seal with a GM part number 3965129 and on it said it has been replaced by the 2-part metal and rubber one. So for fact, GM at one point used 2 different styles.

I'd stay with the one-piece Chicago Rawhide style.

The "hub" is not the spindle" and I think those have been tossed around too liberally where it was confiusing. The hub has the rotor pressed onto it.It has a large big seal that keeps the wheel bearing from falling out.

The spindle has a seal on it's inside that is of the 2-part metal piece and rubber or a one-piece seal that has the needle roller bearing cage pressed inside it that supoorts the axle shaft.

The thrust washer or "spacer" was made of bronze and now is nylon. The other piece left as someone mentioned, the deflector is pressed onto the shaft to help keep debris out and to provide a new wear area for the spindle seal if it needs replacing.

This stuff is probably too late to help, but hope it helps anyways.

The parts book has a better expoloded diagram of the inner spindle/hub assembly on page 6-26 if you have the book. I don't have a scanner so I can't post it.

I am assuming you put it together with the two-part metal & rubber seal and not the one-piece style you posted? If you used the one-piece seal and it is all tight, man something else is wrong.

[msgross]

I wonder how he came out...? I had zero issues putting mine back together...

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I looked in the GM parts book and I found this:

Ser. 20(4WD) inner bearing oil seal 3912016

Is that what you need? You'd probably have a real hard time finding a NOS GM one. I'll bet that part was superceded a couple times over the years before it was discontinued. Heck it was only $2.95 back in 1970! The book I have doesn't show a breakdown, this is a 1970 only book not the '46-'72 which I would also like to have. If you or anybody else needs any other information out of it let me know.

[msgross]

all the seals where available in the NAPA kit, I just redid mine... I think he was having some binding due to fitment issues with the axle shaft.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Ah OK, I thought he wanted to find just that seal and replace it since he didn't like the one in the kit.

When I pulled the hubs, etc on my K/20 Suburban I didn't have any trouble getting it all back together. You definetly want to re-check it if it's binding up.

[sandking]

I know this topic is old, but.........................

I need the "Early Spindle Seal Kit" too. I searched online, but have not checked with Napa or Autozone because I dont have any part numbers for them. It is the rear oil seal and the brass spacer. Here is a pic that I found while searching. Anybody know the actual part number?

[LONGHAIR]

Man there is some confusing "terminology" in this mess, but somehow I missed it when it was new?

Anyway, I am slightly lost by your discription too sandking. What parts are you looking for?
The bronze/nylon thrust washer is on the opposite side of the spindle from the inner wheel bearing's seal. Neither of the seals (inboard of the spindle) have any metal on them. The big one goes over the metal flange and the little one goes into the spindle, from the axle side, after the needle bearing.

[sandking]

OK, I will try to explain what I need.

The top pieces in the pic (small pieces) are the bronze/brass thrust washers that slides onto the stub shaft axle itself. I have a kit that supposedly replaces these with plastic, but the diameter of the plastic one is larger then my old bronze/brass ones.

The larger pieces in the picture is the rear oil seal that is pressed in to the rear of the spindle after the needle bearings are pressed in. It is metal with a rubber insert and a spring to keep it tight. Its 3" in diameter. I pulled my old one out today, but the number that is stamped on it are nowhere to be found on the web.

I can take pics of my old stuff to help clarify if needed.

[jerry moss]

i missed this one too when it was new. BUT, this mess of trying to find the correct "stuff" is the reason i swapped mine over to 73 on up axles and spindles. all the parts in the NAPA kit work fine with the later style. in 71-72 there were two versions of the dana 44--i never have figured out which is which and i've had a lot of 71-72 4x4s over the years. 73 up stuff is in pick-n-pull all over and cheap too.

[sandking]

I would too, but all I need to finish everything is the rear seal in the spindle. The bronze piece that I have is still very useable. I just saw this perticular kit on a website that came as pictured, but they are out of stock. I dont have an answer when and if they can get anymore.

[sandking]

Here is the link to the only place on the web that I can find with these parts. You can see the "Newer" style right below this one. Part number "QK4756"
http://quad4x4.com/common%20front%20axle%20parts.htm

[sandking]

Here are some pics of what I have.

You can see the difference in the thrust washers and the oil seal.

[roger0080]

The replacement nylon thrust washer will work. It has the same I.D. as the original bronze, but the nylon one has a larger O.D. I just ground down outside of the nylon thrust washer and used that.

[sandking]

How about the rear seal, anybody have a part number for it?

[sandking]

Well, just in case anybody else has this problem. I found some replacement seals at Napa- part number 19360 and $15 each.

[dmartin1]

I know this is an old thread revival, but I just went through this on rebuilding my 1971 k20 dana 44 8 lug front end.

This is the only thread i could find that pertained to this.
My local NAPA guy Mic'ed the axle shaft, and was able to find the part # 19970.
This is what I also used.
These came in an SKF box with Chicago Rawhide also on them.

Until i found this post, and referenced it to my NAPA guy, I was stumped.

No dana 44 diagram or parts books, etc had this seal listed that we could find.

I hope this clarifies and helps anyone that may read this in the future.