Alpha 1 Upper seals

[poliz296]

I have a alpha 1 gen 1 drive 1989 model witha 5.7l and I have recently split the upper and lower halves and found that the seals in the upper housing are bad and I am not sure of how to replace them I am not sure if I have to remove the upper gears or what. There are two seals and they are at the top of the driveshaft. If I do need to remove the upper gears are there any special procedures like rolling torque or preload to set and do I need any special tools I have done many U-joint and bearing repairs but never those two seals. Thanks.

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

Till your look at the service manual, don't even mess with it.<br />Here's a link to the manual. Just run your cursor over the page to find the links.<br /><br /> Alpha I Service manual

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

hello<br /> maybe and maybe not<br /> you will need the spanner wrench for the retainer nut. if your not going to change the input yoke seals no further dissasembly of the drive gear assy is nessasary. make sure you replace the oring and dont lose the shims and spacer in the housing. remove the top cover and lift out the driven gear. knock the seals out and replace them. one goes in from the top and the other from the bottom. if you wish to replace the input yoke seal is where it gets tricky. there were two designs of the alpha 1 upper. one sets the preload with a rolling torque and the other just by torqueing the nut. always use a new lock nut and a new tension washer. I use a dail type inch pounds torque wrench for setting rolling torque on them. if you dont have acess to a press it faster and easier to buy the yoke seal already installed in the carrier. installing that seal with a swing press can be tricky. and do have the service manual handy. as well as some 4 inch or so hose clamps.

 

[poliz296]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

Thanks again Don those diagrams were great, but it looks like what I thought, I have to take out the driven gear then set new preload and all that stuff plus I need some tools to install the new seals if that is correct than this is not the job for me. If you could just reply and let me know if I am correct in my assumptions I would be very greatful.

 

[poliz296]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

Thanks Rodbolt I have already replaced that yoke and the yoke seal. So are you saying that I do not have to set any preload or heights on the driven gear? Is it just as simple as removing the yoke and the top cover then pulling out the driven gear and then popping out the seals?

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

The reason I just gave you the link and nothing more, is because I have absolutely no idea what your mechanical abilities are. With the manual, you can read the discription of the work, and see what the special tools are and on your own determine if you can do it or not.<br />The most that can happen is you are out a few thousand bucks for a new drive if you make a mistake.

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

general rule is if you dont replace and rolling parts, bearings, shafts or gears you dont need to reshim. i always have a bit of a look at backlash and gear wear to be sure though.

 

[blackz3]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

hey don s whith a shop manual and you guys i did it... so ANYBODY can LOL....now about that altanator

 

[Bizmark]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

When I replaced the seals in my upper drive, I got the sierra driver rod and head from Merc Stuff.<br /><br />I also got the seals from him too. It was an easy job.

 

[poliz296]

Re: Alpha 1 Upper seals

thanks guys I am gonna give it a go <br />i have replaced all of the other seals in this thing so why not two more I also have a friend that has that particular driver head he's gonna give me a hand with it.