[Engine-Ear]

I thought I would chronicle some of the things that I need to do to make my Cat 9-passenger Safari road-ready again.

No SPECIFIC "tech" in this thread, but the pics and things I do might be helpful for those newer to this kind of activity.

First task is to replace the rear axle seals and the paper gaskets that are used on both sides of the rear wheels' brake backing plates.

If you plan to do this, I suggest that you FIRST unscrew the brake line nut from the wheel cylinder.

One it's free, you need to remove the four nuts that clamp the sheet-metal cover (it's captive to the axle) to the backing plate. There is a hole in the axle flange thru which you can fit a 1/2" drive, 9/16" socket. I recommend a short socket and an extension since it is not a straight line-of-sight thru the hole to these four nuts. With the four nuts off, try to slide the axle assembly out of the diff housing by a good tug with your hands. If you can't, and you don't own a slide hammer, pull the metal cover off the backing plate and spray a modest amount of PB Blaster (or Deadhead's "elixir") on the bearing-to-axle tube interface and have a beer. Then, fit the brake drum BACKWARDS against the axle flange (in other words, you are staring at the inside of the drum). Start 3 wheel stud nuts on BACKWARDS (taper facing you) onto three opposing studs. Slide the drum on the wheel studs toward you until the face of the drum is flush with the step (the wheel is centered on) on the axle. Finger-tighten the nuts until they make contact with the drum. You now have a poor-man's slide hammer with about a half-inch of drum-travel on the studs. Get busy, boy!

Once the axle pops out, remove the 3 nuts & drum and walk the axle out of the axle tube. Have a table or cart or something that you can rest the assembled brake backing plate on, since it will be tethered to the car by the parking brake cable. If the axle flange studs aren't loose enough to push out by hand, spin a sacrificial, fine-thread 3/8" nut on to each stud and lightly tap it loose. Do this for all 4 flange studs. Drop the studs and nuts into some cleaner to soak (I use diesel fuel). Now scrape off all traces of both gaskets (one on each side of the backing plate).

Wheel cylinders showing signs of leaking? Do not reassemble everything without first replacing them with either new or rebuilt ones.

Pry out the old seals that are pressed into the axle tubes. I used a small(-ish) crow bar, being careful not to gall the axle tube's inside bore. Take your time. Once they are out, have a beer (You've earned it!).

At this point, I spray the backing plates down with aerosol brake-cleaner (controls brake dust, which you don't want to breathe if possible) - get an old plastic pan to catch all that black rain before you begin. On a driver, I am not concerned about perfect cleanliness...just make sure that there's NO axle grease or diff oil on the brakes or backing plate.

Using a GREEN Scotch-brite pad soaked in brake cleaner, wipe clean the surface that the new seal will be contacting. I make sure that this surface and ALL of the flange gasket surfaces are CLEAN.

Pictured you will see the still-dirty axle tube and "loaded" backing plate. TIP: I used two "S"-hooks from a rubber bungee cord to hang the backing plate to a factory hole in the frame.

More to come ...