K1500 Trivia

[crsgmc]

My passenger side front axle seal was leaking. It had been leaking a little bit, but as always it got worse. I checked for the part and cross checked it against other web sites to make sure it was the correct part. The part was GM Genuine Parts 19169124. I tore the truck down removing the cover that has the seal on the outboard end. I went to install the part and it clearly did not fit. The whole for the shaft was to large in diameter. I was kind of stunned. I spent the next hour and half checking rechecking and comparing part numbers. The only part that I could find for a 1996 K1500 was the part I already had. I probably checked ten sites, when I went to Advanced Autoparts web site. After entering the vehicle specs It pulled up the same part........but the one below it was the seal for the "first generation" axle seal. I looked at the picture and it looked exactly like the one in the truck. My truck was built in November of 1995 based on the vin. It would have to have been the first generation. At what point in 1996 they changed to the seal generation that everyone else listed, I don't know. I am going to check to see if the 1995 trucks used the first generation seal. Did any of you know about this? 1996 owners beware.

[crsgmc]

I checked, the 1994 K1500 also uses the first generation seal. I am guessing that as you go back in years many of the years also used this seal.

[special-K]

I guess the seal was the same 88-95, then redesigned. So, rather than a '95 1st year thing it's a '95 last year thing. Good info to know. Before it's all over we'll have all these idiosyncrasies worked out like we have on 67-72s here. Thanks for sharing

[Mr_Rich]

This was probably a common problem. When the leak got big as palm-size I figured it was time to replace the seal. I haven't had a problem with it since.