I am wanting to know if you guys can tell me what year axle this? I had bought this and was told it was a 85 gsl to swap it into my 79.



Well the right side started leaking so I went to change the seal and took it apart and this is why I found it was leaking.



I ordered a seal from victoria british and received this, it looks nothing like whats in the axle already, so I am doubting the year of the axle.



If you guys can help me out that would be cool. Or is there any other way to tell the year by looking at it from the outside? Thanks.

 

I *tried* to reply to this yesterday..... Not sure what happened.

Anyways, I'm not sure what they sent you for a seal, but it doesn't matter. No seal is going to solve the problem, until you replace the axle bearing lock ring. This piece usually comes with an axle bearing, and the removal of the ring often ends up with damaging the bearing.
So, in review, you need a new bearing retainer ring, and a seal. Probably be a good idea to replace the bearing as well.

 

I just replaced rear wheel bearings and seals and lockrings, and we had to make a special effort to get the lockrings (sometimes called collars) from the warehouse.

IIRC, rear wheel bearings used to just press onto the axle (many years ago) and collars weren't used to lock them in place, so the bearing could actually slide off the axle! So the axle and wheel could slide out of the axle housing while you were driving. Helluva thing to get passed by your own half-shaft while driving down the road!

The advantage of the retaining collar is that the interference fit is much tighter so that the bearing doesn't have to retain on the axle. The disadvantage is that the fit is so tight that the retaining collar must usually be cut away to remove the bearing race and then the collar must be replaced after a new bearing is installed.

I got the collars from NAPA, and you can also order them from rockauto and mazdatrix.

 

The other use of the lock rings, the seal actually rides on it, giving the seal a way to keep the oil inside the housing, where it belongs.

 

Yeah I figured I would have to replace the bearing and collar soon as I looked at the damage someone did to it. The problem is trying to find someone in this area that can press the bearing and collar on. Thanks for the advice, guess i wll just order more stuff and get it fixed.

 

I recently pickeup up the bearings, collar and seal from Napa. Took a day to get it. Ask at NAPA they will know who can do that work for you. I assume you know by now that you have what looks to be 84-85 rear axle.

 

If you want to know which axle you have for sure, read post #17 in the following link.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...highlight=diff

I've never seen such an amatureish hack job done like the one in the pic you posted. Simplest fix may to simply buy a used replacement axle with a good bearing.

If you want replace the bearings with new ones, read through Section 9, pp., 7-10 of the 85 FSM.

 

Ok, I'm gotta say something here.
I just removed and pressed on 2 sets of 84-85' axle bearings/collars. So I got this procedure down.
The collar "does not" make any seal contact, that is the job of the outer most portion of the axle on the "other side" of the bearing from the collar.
Pressing these components on is a job that needs to be done with care.
I froze my axles in the freezer, and kept the bearings at room temp, the collars were warmed then pressed on. If you are having a shop do this work, make sure you have a RX-7 shop manual with the procedure for them to reference.
Don't forget the assembly order: bearing retaining plate, then dust cover, then bearing, then bearing collar.
Read the manual first, this is not a task for the inept.
I had to make my own tool for pressing the bearing and collar onto the Moser axles.
Remember, once you press a component on, it will only come off with a special puller(see factory manual) or by cutting.

 

Take a closer look at the pic posted above. You will notice a thin shiney groove on the ring. That's where the seal rides.

 

Thanks for the advice, I also do have the larger axle 84-85 model. In the third picture that is what victoria british sent me for the oil seal (guess i will have to call them). There is no way that would work according to the first picture. No NAPA around here either to try and find the correct seal and collar and everything. I will try and get parts from rockauto or somewhere else and hope for the best.

 

I ordered both my bearing kits from Atkins Rotary, they were fast and price was pretty good for Japanese parts, not chinese/mexican junk that NAPA has.

 

You are correct, I miss spoke, that is were the seal makes contact is the collar. Thanks for clarifying that.