Geared Hub Input Seal Question....PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
 

I finally figure it out. The halfshaft retaining washer had shifted in the geared hub. Therefore everytime I tightened the drive gear retainer down, it bottomed out on the retaining washer. Basically binding up the halfshaft bearing in the geared hub. I put it back where it belongs, tightened everything down and am back in business. Lesson learned.







Hey guys,
I am replacing the input and output seals in the geared hubs on my 1997 2 door truck. I am using the current one piece input seal. I bought these on Ebay as a HMMWV M998 Geared hub seal kit. I included a picture so you know what I have. I have done an internet search, looked at the manuals, and searched this forum but cannot come up with a definitive depth for the input seal. The manuals suggest the seal gets recessed .285 from the top surface in the 2 piece kit however I am using a one piece kit. One of the hummer sites ( flashoffroad.com) suggests that if you have the one piece kit or don't want to use the V seal, seat the main seal just below the chamfer on the edge of the drive gear retainer.
Where are you guys using for a seating depth?
I am a bit worried now because after "rebuilding" the geared hub ( I had it off the truck because I was replacing the lower control arm as well) I am having issues. I followed the instructions in the manual for replacing the spindle to the letter. Everything looked good. I put the drive gear retainer on last with the new input seal ( I also remembered to put the shims back on) and once the retaining bolts for the retainer were torqued to the correct lb ft, I could not turn the spindle at all. Is that normal? Remember it is off the truck and not hooked up to the half shaft. I would have expected the spindle to turn freely.
I can loosen the bolts holding the drive gear retainer and it again turns freely. So I thought I may have the seal in to deep. I carefully pushed it backwards toward the top until it sat flush with the edge. Upon reinstalling it and torquing the bolts back to 35 ft lb. The spindle again will not turn freely. Any ideas? I am at a standstill.
Any advice/ideas/observations........ are welcome. And thank you in advance.
Jesse



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