32 RH selector shaft seal driver

[TH99TJ]

So I put off replacing the selector shaft seal in my 99 for as long as I could, actually I just haven't had the time. As many of you know, there is very limited space to work on this seal and most seem to do the little tap tap tap to slowly drive the new seal in. I designed an attachment for my slide hammer that makes the install stupid simple quick and easy. I took a piece of 1/2 plate about 2x6 with a hole drilled in each end.(I cut this plate off of a semi truck mud flap mount that was in my scrap bin) welded a nut on one hole to screw onto the slide hammer and then used a 3 point hitch class 2-3 adapter sleeve (Tractor Supply) as the actual seal driver(Perfect size dia and length). I welded a bolt into the Category 2-3 adapter so I could change size if I ever needed it for a different seal. I also stuffed a piece of plastic into the tool to better center it on the shift shaft since the "driver" has a larger ID than the OD of the shaft, plus it protects the shaft from the possibility of metal on metal contact. It works incredibly well, a couple small bumps with the slide hammer and the seal was in and perfect. I also came up with a process to remove the old seal when a screw driver or seal remover will not work IE the seals with the metal almost touching the shaft if any body needs help with that.
PS OMG my transfer case / trans skid was FULL of ATF!

 

[hear]

Nice work. I found that removing the skid & lowering the trans down a little gave me some breathing room. I was able to do it with a specific socket to drive in the seal (I wrote up a how-to in our how to section) but I recognized that If my socket had been like 1/8" shallower it wouldn't have worked, and a 1/2" longer and it also wouldn't have worked.

And no kidding on the skid being an efficient ATF storage component. I had a leaking dipstick and I had lost at least a quart before my first drip hit the garage floor. Really anything other than a pump seal leak will run to the back of the trans (and appear as a pan/gasket leak), and then eventually drip into the pan, and then gather for a long time before it presents as a drip. It's a good reminder to periodically wipe around the transmission & check the skid to see if you have a looming problem.

 

[TH99TJ]

Nice work. I found that removing the skid & lowering the trans down a little gave me some breathing room. I was able to do it with a specific socket to drive in the seal (I wrote up a how-to in our how to section) but I recognized that If my socket had been like 1/8" shallower it wouldn't have worked, and a 1/2" longer and it also wouldn't have worked.

And no kidding on the skid being an efficient ATF storage component. I had a leaking dipstick and I had lost at least a quart before my first drip hit the garage floor. Really anything other than a pump seal leak will run to the back of the trans (and appear as a pan/gasket leak), and then eventually drip into the pan, and then gather for a long time before it presents as a drip. It's a good reminder to periodically wipe around the transmission & check the skid to see if you have a looming problem.

OH Yeah, I was standing there thinking to myself just put the trans jack under it and drop the skid... NOOO! I will make a tool to work around all that crap! LOL

One of my projects "on the list" is to build a cross member AND a skid that is NOT the cross member, tucked up as much as possible.
Honestly I am unaware of a worse design than "the shovel" .
Also those cat 2-3 adapters are a couple dollars ea and keep you from beating on your sockets which I have a major dislike.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

You don't have to "beat" on your socket to replace that small seal.

 

[hear]

I went on a hunt to find my how to writeup, but came up empty. But I did find the thread where I was leaking TONS into the skid, and it was because of a leaking selector shaft seal. That thing is a dark horse in terms of just how much fluid it can conjure up. I also noted that I used my 4 lb sledge on the basis of F=ma. Not much a was required to generate enough F to drive it in. I also had the seal in the freezer prior. I didn't also do it without having it in the freezer so I don't have a control to judge against, but I think I would generally recommend the freezer tactic.

 

[TH99TJ]

I went on a hunt to find my how to writeup, but came up empty. But I did find the thread where I was leaking TONS into the skid, and it was because of a leaking selector shaft seal. That thing is a dark horse in terms of just how much fluid it can conjure up. I also noted that I used my 4 lb sledge on the basis of F=ma. Not much a was required to generate enough F to drive it in. I also had the seal in the freezer prior. I didn't also do it without having it in the freezer so I don't have a control to judge against, but I think I would generally recommend the freezer tactic.

There are as they say more than one way to skin a cat and one way is not necessarily wrong, just different. As far as seals in the freezer, that I have never heard of, I was taught that the seal is designed to "squish" and take up space sealing the situation up and it needs to just be driven carefully into it's place.

 

[TH99TJ]

You don't have to "beat" on your socket to replace that small seal.

100% I just bump it in with my new tool square, flush, nice and easy LOL
I have seen guys use ball joint presses/C clamps or the correct seal driver even....
I hope you are right Jerry and most or all of my morning sickness goes away with it now full of ATF+4 and not leaking it out almost as fast as it goes in.
Joking but it was pretty bad.

 

[hear]

There are as they say more than one way to skin a cat and one way is not necessarily wrong, just different. As far as seals in the freezer, that I have never heard of, I was taught that the seal is designed to "squish" and take up space sealing the situation up and it needs to just be driven carefully into it's place.

it'll seal up just fine once it expands as it warms up. One way or another it has to get home, there's no requirement that it be driven there.