MIDNIGHT RIDER
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Full Floating Axle Flange Gaskets
For Dana 70 (and possibly several others as the axle flange can't be any larger than the center of a 8-on-6-1/2 wheel regardless of how big the rest of it may be):
Fel-Pro 55328 --- Victor Reinz 326212
QUESTION = Do you use a flange gasket or do you omit the gasket and only use a sealant; and, what are your observations and experiences on this ?
For years and years, on countless floating axles, I only ever used NO GASKET and apply a bead of silicone; I never ever had a leak nor any other problems.
Then, ten or so years ago, on my F-350, for whatever reason and I have no idea just what possessed me to do this, I got a brand-new pair of those hard plastic flange gaskets.
Gaskets are supposed to prevent leaks, right ?
At first, figuring the gaskets would do their job of preventing leaks and wanting to get away from the mess of using silicone, I tried just the gaskets alone, under proper 90-ft-lbs torque.
They leaked like a sieve, slinging droplets all around the inside of my simulators.
So, like an idiot, instead of ditching the gaskets and going back to my tried and true silicone only method; what did I do --- I applied a bead of silicone to BOTH sides of the gasket --- it never dawned on me that this was taking twice the silicone that I used to use.
The last few times, instead of silicone, I have been using and much prefer Mr. Gasket Form-a-Gasket #2 Non-hardening Sealer.
And then, last night, after I struggled to squish out enough Mr. Gasket to make it the rest of the way around the second side of the gasket, slid the axle home, and torqued the bolts, I made an executive decision = from this day forward, no more axle flange gaskets for me.
As I ponder upon this, I am wondering if possibly (and probably) the axle flange gaskets might not have caused another issue I was having.
In all the years and all the many many floating axles, I had NEVER had an axle bolt to loosen, let alone back out and disappear completely.
Whether the gaskets had anything to do with it or not, a few years ago, after I started using the gaskets, I came home from a trip and noticed specks of lube spattered inside my wheels.
Then, I noticed one axle bolt completely gone.
I checked that side and found I could easily turn every bolt at least half-a-turn - with my fingers.
I went around to the other side; and, although no bolts were missing, every bolt head had an eighth between it and the flange; well, between the lock-washer behind the bolt and the flange.
I replaced the missing bolt and torqued all of them and a few weeks later found them loose again.
After that, I keep the socket, extension, and long breaker-bar handy and check them regularly while I have nightmares of an axle sliding out and going off in some deep kudzu holler never to be seen again and stranding me thouwzands of miles from home.
I can't help but wonder if that plastic gasket might not be shrinking in thickness and allowing enough slack for the bolts to begin loosening.
For Dana 70 (and possibly several others as the axle flange can't be any larger than the center of a 8-on-6-1/2 wheel regardless of how big the rest of it may be):
Fel-Pro 55328 --- Victor Reinz 326212
QUESTION = Do you use a flange gasket or do you omit the gasket and only use a sealant; and, what are your observations and experiences on this ?
For years and years, on countless floating axles, I only ever used NO GASKET and apply a bead of silicone; I never ever had a leak nor any other problems.
Then, ten or so years ago, on my F-350, for whatever reason and I have no idea just what possessed me to do this, I got a brand-new pair of those hard plastic flange gaskets.
Gaskets are supposed to prevent leaks, right ?
At first, figuring the gaskets would do their job of preventing leaks and wanting to get away from the mess of using silicone, I tried just the gaskets alone, under proper 90-ft-lbs torque.
They leaked like a sieve, slinging droplets all around the inside of my simulators.
So, like an idiot, instead of ditching the gaskets and going back to my tried and true silicone only method; what did I do --- I applied a bead of silicone to BOTH sides of the gasket --- it never dawned on me that this was taking twice the silicone that I used to use.
The last few times, instead of silicone, I have been using and much prefer Mr. Gasket Form-a-Gasket #2 Non-hardening Sealer.
And then, last night, after I struggled to squish out enough Mr. Gasket to make it the rest of the way around the second side of the gasket, slid the axle home, and torqued the bolts, I made an executive decision = from this day forward, no more axle flange gaskets for me.
As I ponder upon this, I am wondering if possibly (and probably) the axle flange gaskets might not have caused another issue I was having.
In all the years and all the many many floating axles, I had NEVER had an axle bolt to loosen, let alone back out and disappear completely.
Whether the gaskets had anything to do with it or not, a few years ago, after I started using the gaskets, I came home from a trip and noticed specks of lube spattered inside my wheels.
Then, I noticed one axle bolt completely gone.
I checked that side and found I could easily turn every bolt at least half-a-turn - with my fingers.
I went around to the other side; and, although no bolts were missing, every bolt head had an eighth between it and the flange; well, between the lock-washer behind the bolt and the flange.
I replaced the missing bolt and torqued all of them and a few weeks later found them loose again.
After that, I keep the socket, extension, and long breaker-bar handy and check them regularly while I have nightmares of an axle sliding out and going off in some deep kudzu holler never to be seen again and stranding me thouwzands of miles from home.
I can't help but wonder if that plastic gasket might not be shrinking in thickness and allowing enough slack for the bolts to begin loosening.
