Solid Axle Leak - Need Information

[Dinger09]

A couple of weeks ago I had a flat tire on my 61. Had to call for roadside help since I have not (stupid me) taken the time to get a jack. It has only been 8 years! Anyway it was raining and the guy that showed up used a hydralic jack under the rear axle center to lift the car. You guessed it he dimpled the housing at the drain plug and now the join behind the pinion has a small leak (a drip or two a day) from the widened gap.

Advice needed for the repair. Thought about heating the housing with a hand torch (with the axles pulled and oil cleaned out) to try and hammer down the distortion to the lip, then a new gasket and silicone to seal. Is there a refurb shop I can send it to that could heat and stretch the housing back to near original shape? I hate the thought of pulling down the rear end (although new bearings and seals would be a benefit) for a 4 dollar gasket and a jacklegged approach that may not work. Anybody been in this fix before?

 

[Tom Bryant]

Do you think that the distortion could be pushed back in place with a port-a-power after you have emptied the housing. I would try this using some wood blocking so as not to bend the top of the housing when applying pressure. I would see what I could do cold before applying heat.

Tom

P.S. I have had my '59 since '69 and I still don't have a correct jack. :L

 

[Dinger09]

Thanks for the input Tom. I have considered a similiar approach. If you take a close look at the dimple it is centered around the drain plug, couple of inches or more from the lip. I thought pulling the axles and using a power tool inserted into the housing might distort the join further. I probably ought to take it to an axle shop but don't know of one here in Northern VA. Man just as I get all the other leaks under control, go figure!

 

[Allanb63]

I think my 63 Convertible is suffering from the same problem, but I didn't put it together until your post.

No leaks in the past. A couple months ago, I was in a similar predicament, except with a very large fuel leak coming from the tank area. He used a floor jack to lift it up enough to replace a small section of the fuel line.

Now I notice a large spot on the garage floor and when it was in for an oil change, we notice the differential is leaking fluid.

Must be more common than you'd think.

Hope it can be fixed without major difficulties.

 

[magicv8]

Allanb63 - your IRS has the pumpkin bolted to the frame. Both sections of the pumpkin case are cast - and cannot be bent since the casting will crack first. Most c2 pumpkin leaks are pinion or axle yoke seals.

 

[Allanb63]

Thanks for the info.

Will have to get it in to be seen by a shop that can fix axle seals.

Al

 

[Old Bull]

My guess is that the distortion is minimal so I would pull the pumpkin and use a straight edge to check where the bulge or concavity is. You can judiciously use a large crescent on the lip to pull or push it back into shape. Take care not to create more waves in the flange. Use a straight edge to check your progress as you go. When you get it very close you can use a disk sander with 60 grit disk to smooth any minor ripples. Then reassemble using silicone gasket material.