55 Cadillac Transmission Tailstock Seal

[Bob Kielar]

Hello all,
                 Before I attempt to replace the tailstock seal are there any tips for removing the old one.
Thanks,
Bob Kielar

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The only way I have found is to drive a screw driver under the outer steel lip, and pry it out.

It will destroy the seal, but that won't matter as you were going to replace it.

Then simply drive the replacement on squarely.

Bruce.

[Caddy Wizard]

To remove that very stubborn seal, I use a pry bar of sorts that I bought from one of the tool companies (MATCO or Snap-On, I forget which).  It is about 2 ft long, with a pointed spike at one end and a 90 degree pry finger at the other end.  Halfway along the shank or shaft is a hammer tang that you can bang on to your heart's delight.  So you hook the finger into the seal, just like using a regular seal remover.  Then, instead of prying it out, you hammer on the tang and drive the thing out. 


I have found these tail stock seals to be extremely tight fits and it will take a LOT of hammering to get the thing out.  But it will come out.  Then, drive in the new one with a properly sized hollow drift.  It needs to be hollow to avoid hitting the output shaft as you drive in the seal around the shaft.  I made a drift out of a block of wood that I cut into an annulus on one face (I drilled out the center with a large Forstener bit to make clearance for the output shaft and carefully pared the outside of the annulus with a sharp wood chisel).

[Bob Kielar]

Man that was brutal . Thanks for the replies.

Regards,
Bob Kielar

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Yep, that is about normal, if you don't have a very thin slide hammer or puller.

Bruce.

[Sixty_five]

Mine is leaking as well. Looking at your photo compared to mine something is causing grooves or is it missing a seal? There's a seal in the driveshaft that looks fine.

[Roger Zimmermann]

To me, it seems that the end seal is missing...

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I am of the same opinion.

You shouldn't be able to see the return slot in the bottom of the housing if the seal is there.

Bruce.

[Bob Kielar]

Man I'm totally confused although it doesn't take much. Where is there a seal in the driveshaft also where is the return slot?

Regards,
Bob Kielar

[signart]

With easy access to the seal such as this one, leave your hammer in your tool box. Just drill a small pilot hole into middle of the flat surface of the seal. Take a sheet metal screw and grind the sharp point off of it. Use a drill and drive the screw into the hole until it pushes the seal out. Takes about 2 sec.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

My bad.   What I took as the return slot is actually a large drop of oil sitting on the bottom of the inner seal lip, and the outer ring.

It gave me the impression that the seal was actually out, and once you do remove the seal, you will see a slot under the rear yoke bush, which allows the oil to return to the transmission, after it has done its' job of lubricating the bushing.

Bruce.