D2 Final Drive Leak

Yes pressing is the way to do it. Unfortunately, when a fellow doesn't have the equipment to press it on, sometimes it doesn't seem important that it be done.

It is.

Your sprocket and axlespindle may be worn enough now (or could have been worn previously) from running loose that you will never keep them tight. If the nut is bottomed on the axle, your parts are worn badly. The sprocket should stick out farther than the end of the spline on the shaft even when the sprocket has been pressed on. If it goes flush while pressing, it might last a while?

While you have it off, examine the cork on the outside of the bellows and the washer against the sprocket which it seals against for wear. The washer is reversable/replaceable and the cork and the gasket on the inside of the bellows are replaceable.

ccjersey is right, if the nut bottoms out against the end of the splines before the sprocket is tight this usually means things have been running loose for a while. When they get that bad not only does the sprocket need to be replaced but the shaft, too. Putting a good sprocket on a worn shaft will cause it to loosen up again. Also the sprocket nut has a cork gasket under it to seal the splines so oil doesn't seep through.

I had the same problem--worn spline on both the sprocket and shaft--i had a 1/4" thick washer machined so that the ID was larger than the OD of the spline on the shaft so when i took up on the nut it wouldn't bottom out

The spline/sproket doesn't appear to be significantly worn. The cap definately doesn't bottom out, and the spline of the shaft does not extend past the sproket. I would like to try to press the sproket onto the shaft. I believe I can make a fixture that will allow me to use my 12 ton bottle jack to do the job. Are there any other options? Does anyone have the device shown in the service manual that I could rent?

Thanks for the feedback.

54D2

The specified sprocket press fit is 20 tons.

I've had good luck with heating things like that sprocket just to the point that spit (or a few drops of water) will boil, then shoving the parts together HARD and immediately tighten the nut (or bolt). You don't have to heat the whole sprocket, just the hub, and leave the shaft cold when you do this. I've never calculated out what the press fit would be but I've never had parts come loose in operation.

Heating the hub of the sproket sounds like a good idea; the concern is getting it too hot and damaging the seals, or not getting it hot enough to enlarge the sproket. ol' Grump, you indicate heat until water bounces on the surface, or say 250 degrees... It doesn't sound like a lot of heat, but you've had good luck with this technique?

Thanks,
54D2

54D2,
Yes, I've done this with steering clutches on D4's several times and sprockets on several D2's. You're right, the trick is to not overheat and possibly damage seals. If the part you heat shows ANY tempering colors, like a straw color it's waaay to hot. Water or spit just starting to "dance" seems to be the ticket. Cleanliness of the mating parts is important as well. A Q tip wiped over the surfaces will show roughness. .it'll leave little threads of cotton behind. Overheating the hub would make for a tighter fit, possibly to the point of splitting the hub.

http://www.anvilfire.com/index.php?bodyName=/FAQs/temper_colors.htm&titleName=Temper%20Colors%20:%20anvilfire.com will show what I mean about colors.

Thanks ol'Grump for sharing your experience. After the hub of the sproket is heated, do you recommend using the nut to push and hold the sproket in place? After it's in place, should I mist water over the hub to cool it down slowly and reduce the chance of damaging the seals?

thanks
54D2