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Drive Axle Hub Inner Seal Leak
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What Joe suggests will work, but so will breaking it free using the threaded holes in the flange.
If using the threaded holes use extreme caution. work slowly and gradually, perhaps 1/4 turn at a time. A Prevost owner had a “professional” mechanic pull his axle and the idiot used an impact wrench on the 1/2″ bolts used to break the axle free, only he used it on one bolt only and it was able to bend the flange so he could not get it to seal properly after everything was put back together.
I have used Joe’s method almost every time, but have also had to encourage it to break loose with the three bolts when it got stubborn.
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Got the axle out finally. I don’t know what sealant was used when it was installed, but man it was tough stuff. You can see in the picture how I used a 4 Lb hammer, three 1/2″ x 13 bolts, and PB blaster to break it free.
Since I’m waiting for the new seal to arrive from Prevost, I have time to clean things up. -
At least you’ll know it was done right Don…
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Re the ridge on the drums, if you take a hand grinder and remove that with a bevel it makes it a lot easier next time when you install/remove the drum. Same with brake discs. Remove the ridge around the outside with a bevel and when the disc wears the ridge won’t form as bad, making caliper removal/install much easier.
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Is the axle pressed into the drive plate? Or is it loose fit?
Its my understanding that that to tow a Prevost behind a big wrecker, the axles must be pulled. So what gets pulled? Just the axle? Or axle and drive plate? I’m thinking axle and drive plate because I vaguely recall that something needs to cover the opening so the gear lube doesn’t come out. Is that right?
Pictures are always worth a thousand words; or more! For many of us, these pictures and the story are very enlightening and contribute to our meager knowledge of anything “big truck”. For others, it provides some insight into the power of their credit card.
What I find interesting is the logic and engineering of the Prevost drive axle system is almost identical to the Ford 9” rear ends on my stock cars. 750hp/650ft-lbs/3,400#/200mph vs 475hp/1,350ft-lbs/48,500#/70mph. Thanks for sharing.
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To tow our coaches pull the axles (a few minute job unless someone glued them in place) or drop the drive shaft.
I did an axle removal demonstration years ago at an RV park in Santa Fe and I think from start until the axle removal it was in the 10 minute range.
Tradewinds Coach
Kyle Bennett (Service)
Brian Miller (Sales) -
Yep, Jon pulled an axle as part of our maintenance training in the campground and then made me do the clean up while he drank beer.
2000 Featherlite H3-45
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Leesburg, FL -
Take the chrome dome shaped axle/hub cover off and you’ll see 10 nuts holding the axle onto the floating/rotating axle hub. Take to 10 nuts off, break the sealant loose, and the axle slides right out with little if any interference. If it’s towed this way, your gonna lose a lot of gear oil and let debris in. Make and carry with you steel or wooden covers to minimize this.
The Prevost setup is different from my race cars (mine have Ford 9″ live axles) in the following ways:
1) Prevost has the wheel studs located in the floating/rotating hubs.
2) the Prevost axle bearings and inner oil seals are in floating/rotating hubs.
3) On the Prevost, the ends of the axle housing tubes are like spindles, machine so bearings and seals can ride on it. In addition, they’re hollow and the axles go thru to the carrier & gears.
4) The rotating hub assembly fits snuggly onto smooth machined surfaces on the outer end of each machined housing tube. The axles slide thru the bearings, the seal, the hollow housing tube ends, and on into the carrier & gears.
5) the axle is retained onto the hub and into differential housing with 10 studs and nuts, and sometimes some mighty tough sealant.
I found the end play set at 01. I used a magnetic base and dial capilper to determine this before I loosen it up. I also determined that by loosening the nut one flat the end play increases 10.The bearings are in good condition. Everything externally is DIRTY . I’m putting in a lot of time a effort to clean things up like new or better.
Here are somemore pics of disassembly and cleanup work I did today. -
I had a coach towed more than 180 miles and to cover the open hub all we did was use a piece of cardboard, pressed it against the studs to mark their location, cut the cardboard with an X at the studs, and pushed the cardboard on the hub.
No loss of gear oil and I doubt any crud got in the axle.
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Really a great thread about this axle repair operation. Takes time to put this together, text and pictures.
Comparing parts as seal mfg. goes was interesting to me rather then rate everything by “how much it cost” was another important comparison.
Great post guys
AL
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When mine was towed last year I was expecting cardboard. My wife had already located a heavy piece inside the bus. The tow truck driver had a large collection of plastic “end caps” for various setups. One of them fit the bus perfectly.
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Look what Mr FedX brought me today, Yeah ! Enough stuff to do both sides.
I’m only doing the passenger side at the moment. The drivers side is on my list on thing to do now.
I hope to finish cleaning things(hub assembly & brake assembly) soon. Then back together she goes 🙂
I’ll put the 8 brake linings on the shelf I hope I never need them.
2000 Featherlite H3-45
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Leesburg, FL -
I see Chicago Rawhide seals. That is all I ever used just because that was always what the local dealer or Prevost sold me.
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Made a pair of hub covers today out of plywood that we’ll carry with us in case I ever need to be towed.
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Excellent Don.
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