4x4 Spindle / seals / snap ring question

[GMC-YA68]

Take a look at the picture. Can you guys tell me where the 2 seals on the right go? Right now I have them both on the inside of the flange of my front axle (same side as the big seal) Is this correct? The seal in the middle is more of a plastic washer rather than a seal and it is beveled on one of the insides.

I have rebuilt both hubs with new races and new bearings (all Yukon). In fact the PO must have just done it as well because all the part #'s where the same.

Anyways I am putting everything back together and get to where I am putting my lock outs on and I don't have enough of the axle showing to put the snap ring on. (Talking about the snap ring on the very end of the axle). I have tried to pry the axle outward a bit at the u-joints, threaded a bolt into the end of the axle and tried to pull it but to no avail with either method.

Anyone else had this problem?

[sixnineK5]

Is the spindle bearing inside the spindle far enough?

[sixnineK5]

The large seal , as you know, sits on the lip of the stub shaft. The hard seal will have the bevel facing into the seal on the stub shaft. The small seal will sit in the spindle by the spindle bearing. Make sure all of them have a thin coat of grease. The stub shaft will require a little pressure applied from inside by the axle u joint pushed outwards so that you can get the snap ring on which you mentioned. If this doesn't give you enough room double check your locking hub assembly. I've actually rocked the axle in/out a few times to get that extra length to put on the clip.

[GMC-YA68]

Locking hub assembly was in working order when I pulled them and still are. What is funny is that both sides are exactly alike. Sounds like I need to muscle up and pry my axle out a bit.

[tjsblazer]

If you are using your stock '72 spindles that small spindle bearing seal may not be used unless you got a very late '72 unit. It is typically on 73+. That entire kit you have in the picture is technically for late '72 and up but will work on the earlier 72 if you don't use that small seal. The factory 72 seal set was a different animal with a large press in metal seal and a brass thrust washer. In late '72 they went to the plastic thrust washer with that large rubber v seal. The spindle is also then machined a little deeper and the spindle bearing is pressed deeper so that that small v seal seats within the end of the spindle against the bearing. Not using that small v seal is not a big deal unless your doing a lot of water running through creeks, etc.
From 72 to 73 the Chevy Dana 44 had several small changes including axle u joint size, slinger size and seal kit, spindle and seal kit.

Hard to capture it all in this email but I went through all of this a few months ago when I put new Spicer front axle shafts in. You can only get 73+ now. The 71/72 are no longer available so applications show them all as 71 and up regardless of all the above small changes.
Quad4x4 website is a good source of information if you read the parts notes as well as Bill of Material information found on Dana Spicer website.
I linked here a Quad 4x4 page on their website. Scroll down to the "Spindle Bearing and Seals" section.

http://www.quad4x4.com/gm44front1968-1972.html

As far as seating the snap ring on the end of the axle as long as you have assembled correctly and set the outer hub bearing pre-load with the double nuts and slot washer with the pin correctly, you should be good. As others have mentioned some slight prying outboard on the axle shaft at the u-joint will give you the space you need to seat it. I needed a friend to help. I found it took more than 2 hands to do it all at once. Those locking hubs don't look factory to me but I doubt that has anything to do with the snap ring if it was together before.

[D.PASSMORE]

Hope this helps:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=670179

[GMC-YA68]

sounds like the small V-seal need to come out. I will do this tonight and report back.

[tjsblazer]

Originally Posted by D.PASSMORE

Hope this helps:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=670179

Unfortunate I didn't see this thread. I don't really go to that part of the forum. I had just gone through all this same stuff a month before you posted your question. I ended up using the pre-assembled u-joint axle kits from Spicer. For me it was the least expensive route from my supplier. I had to replace my axles because the bearing surfaces were in bad shape. I have a machine shop in the family so I machined my 72 spindles to work with the 73+ axles and kit. Even without an axle swap all those little seal and spindle changes from 72-73 are a PITA and your right, you really have to dig to find the info.

[D.PASSMORE]

Originally Posted by GMC-YA68

sounds like the small V-seal need to come out. I will do this tonight and report back.

If you run that seal kit (Yukon) with early 72 spindle set-up, it will rip up that big outer seal after do a little 4 wheeling. You have to put a OE type grease seal back into the 72 type. 73 and up uses that Yukon kit. The inside of the hub is machined and polished for the type of seal. Early 72's are machined for the grease seal. The early seals can be had at any local parts store.

[swamp rat]

I believe i posted that seal number in my build thread, i had the same issue.

[tjsblazer]

The spindle seal kit / thrust washer required is really dictated by the size of the slinger on the axle stub shaft. It has to match that diameter. They are either 2.0" or 2.25". I think it was a very late '72 model year change to the larger diameter but typically 71-72 is the 2.0" diameter and 73+ was the 2.25" diameter.
Again, this is explained fairly well on that quad 4x4 page I linked if you read carefully the individual part number descriptions but measure the diameter of the stub shaft slinger you have on your truck. You never know after 40+ years what had been changed or not over the years.

[D.PASSMORE]

If you need any parts for the older style, I have most all items (NOS too). I have converted 2 of my 4x4s over to the 73+ set up and have all the parts for the 3rd. I can dig them out, I'm just lazy sometimes...