Hi all, U'm in the process of restoring my '59 LeSabre. Let me start off with the fact that there was nothing wrong with the drivetrain when it was running. Right now I'm pulling apart the torque tube and rear end to go through it all. The u joint and center bearing look fantastic. The axle bearings are a bit stiff, but that could just be the dried up oil that needs to be cleaned out. The 3rd member has no issues with noise or feel when I turn it. No signs of wear. The pinion seal looks fine and the ring gear has markings on it, so it appears that it was gone through. My original thought was to replace all the bearings and seals no matter what, but after pulling the 3rd member, I am tempted to leave it alone since it appears that it is fine. What are all your thoughts on this? Should I just deal with the rest of the seals and axle bearings if everything else seems fine?
If it ain't broke... If it didn't make noise when you drove it, I'd replace the seals and leave the rest, but that's just me.
Thanks all. The last time this car ran was in 2001, but there were no issues with the drivetrain back then. I'll prop it up on the bench and pour in some gear oil, let it sit a few days, and verify the pinion seal does not leak. If it stays dry, I'll clean it all up and put it back together.
Well good news! I propped the unit up on the workbench with the pinion facing down and filled it up with 80W90. 3 days later the front seal area is still dry as a bone. Looks like I'm in luck! The old gear oil was a bit cooked so now I need to figure out what is the best way to clean it. I may soak in trans fluid and then clean out with brake cleaner. I just don't want to hurt the seal. Also, does anyone know what gear oil do I need for this rear end?
