Rear Axle Seal Stuck -- Mahindra but maybe similar to others??

[chevymanar]

Hey folks I took on the task of replacing a couple of leaky seals (PTO and rear axle shaft) on my 2016 Mahindra 2538HST.

PTO seal was pretty easy, used a couple of screws to get leverage on it.

The axle seal is proving to be a huge ordeal though. You can't get to it straight on to try and do the screw trick with it, but you can pry on it from the edges. I started doing that, but realized after awhile I was only moving the outer rubber but the inner part that makes contact with the axle shaft just seems to be stuck. I have never dealt with a seal like this before and I am honestly just not sure what to do now. If I could actually access the part that is stuck I could cut it off, but unfortunately I can't get to it (with any tools that I have anyway). I tried to use an air hammer on this inner part like you would a stuck inner bearing race, but since it is rubber that is stuck to the axle shaft it just flexes and won't actually move.

I am attaching a few pictures of the mess I have made along with a picture of a new seal. Can someone help me here?

 

[chevymanar]

An idea that I just had and figured I would run it by you guys.... if I can get a pair of snap ring plyers up in there and remove the snap ring I believe the axle shaft should pull out of the housing. That would give me good access to it. I can see the snap ring (pic attached).

 

[joecdeere]

I’m taking it that you don’t have a service manual, highly believe the snapping isn’t what’s holding the axle in a tractor this size, maybe the outer bearing in place. Almost any tractor axle seal replacement required the removal of the final drive housing to access a nut on the end of the axle-shaft that keeps the reduction gear and all other pieces where they belong. I may be wrong, but urge you to stop and find out for sure before you proceed

 

[chevymanar]

You are correct, I don't have the service manual. I do have that exploded view, that is how I got the correct part number I needed.

I will go by the dealer tomorrow and chat with them before I go any further. I need to get my hands on a service manual for future projects, I should have done that before now.

Thank you for the response.

 

[chevymanar]

I verified that the snap ring did in fact hold the axle in. I popped it out and the assembly came out. I was able to remove the clip, spring, and bearing and slide the old seal off. I put it back together but now I have ran into another totally different issue.

The bearing touches the housing at the same time as the splines engage. I am trying to engage splines blindly here. So when I insert the shaft and it bottoms out on the bearing I assume it needs to be slightly tapped into place... but I don't know if I my splines are lined up. I gave up for the day but I am hoping there maybe some other section I can remove and have the ability to see the splines. I don't really know what else to do here. I do not want to risk damaging the splines.

I did order a service manual today. I have a feeling it tells me to mark the axle and the housing before I removed it.

 

[Duct_tape123]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I am going to be helping a family friend replace the same rear axle seal as shown here on a 2538HST. A snap ring behind a captured seal doesn't make sense to retain an axle shaft. How did this end up? I haven't put my eyes on his tractor yet, but he said the oil is leaking inside the rear tire so I assume its this seal. @chevymanar Anymore pictures you have of this process would be exceptional!