Hello everyone.

I am in the process of checking and cleaning up the propshaft, and have a question about the center slip yoke. The yoke is held on with a nut, with a lock washer and felt seal (to hold in the grease). The felt seal is completely disintegrated, and have had no luck finding any information about it, or a replacement.

Question - is this something that is generally not replaced, or a substitute is put in it's place?

Thanks for any guidance!

Update:

I ended up making a cork seal from a 1/8" thick piece of gasket material, and an arch punch which was coincidentally the right diameter. I'll periodically check to see if it actually works, and follow up on this thread.

Thanks everyone -J

Hello everyone,

Thank you for all the advise! Eric is correct, it's a cork seal that is trapped in the slip yoke nut. I'll probably either a- do nothing, or b- cut one out (I have access to a laser cutter and can cut cork with it.)

Part of the reason for taking the axle apart is that the slip yoke was completely frozen (from petrified grease). I've also found that the carrier bearing isn't toast, but on it's way out. Question is - can I use the newer (post 67?) carrier bearing, donut and brakcet? Only question is the locations of the bolt holes for the bracket - are they preexisting (which would make me inclined to change to it) , or would I have to drill them (which would make me inclined not to change it).

Any ideas muchly appreciated!

Jim;

When I first read your post, it didn't compute for me either...in all the Driveshafts I've ever come across (both early and late center Bearing supports styles), I don't ever recall having seen a felt seal or suggestion that there should have been one...so I waited for other, wiser wrenchers to chime in so that I might learn something new also...

So now that other posters have chimed in, I have to agree with C1800 and Derek and ask, what would it need to seal in, in a sealed bearing?...also...are you certain there is supposed to be one...? What makes you believe there is supposed to be a felt seal, or was one before it disintegrated...? Maybe a PO put it in there additionally, to keep dirt out of the Spline joint (actually not such a terrible Idea, although the Rubber Bootie should do that pretty well!)... also, if "The felt seal is completely disintegrated", what makes you believe there is supposed to be one? Can you maybe post a pic of the area in question, or maybe reference an Item number in the exploded assy diagram.

http://www.sw-em.com/Driveshaft_and_U-Joint_Notes.htm

...more questions, than answers...!

It appears to be part number 15550. Doesn’t come up anywhere on a search. Except Volvo, obsolete part number. It appears to be used on a select relatively few serial numbers of Amazons. Maybe you could fashion one from some store bought felt, or modify another felt seal, like the one for the timing cover.

I'm sure you could make one from felt, medical supplier or arts/crafts shop. However, as the centre bearing is sealed, what grease is it retaining? I'm aware of the tiny grease nipple that you should use to grease the splines now and then. I bet many people didn't know that one was there. Prop with the felt is the earlier one suspended by small rubber doughnuts and 2 pegs. No sign of the felt and the cluster of washers on the later ones. The big nuts have a different part number for each type so the later mount was simpler all round.

The original seal was made of cork not felt.

I actually have 1 in stock.

The function of that seal was to keep dirt from getting on the splines of the slip joint.

Volvo updated the nut for this system so the later style of rubber dust boot could be added. If you have the updated nut and you use the dust boot which is still available, I wouldn't worry about the lack of a cork seal.

Here's a link to a Swedespeed post and it appears that the person who posted had something made using a custom made seal.

FYI, the cork seal looks like a thick washer with a diagonal cut so there isn't a gap as the cut overlaps on itself.

--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com