spindle keyway gasket dilema

[rlwm211]

I look at the deuce as a moment in time about 50 years ago. Doubtless there have been improvements made to this day in terms of materials and parts for these trucks, but somehow the simple techology seems to work well just as it was designed.

If I could not locate some cork, yeah, I would use silicone. It is that traditionalist in me that says do it the way it was originally meant to be.

Now, if you give me three or four reasons why the old way is crap...that's another story...

RL

 

[yellobronc]

Been there, tried that..unfortunately, I have replaced the cork gasket and had it fail. In fact I have a pesky gear oil leak in my wheels now. Next time I service, I will try the Silicone trick and see if it improves my siguation.

Good luck to all who try!!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks, for all the advice. I finished doing the hub-flip last night and used silicone to seal the keyway. Time will tell if it works for me or not.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

May 7th, 2010.

Stumps:

Thanks for digging up that PM magazine thread, I guess I am old technology bound in many ways. As to the comment on the cork wedges survival rate, my truck was last rebuilt in 1989/1990 for Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and as far as anyone can tell, the gaskets and wedges are still working and have never been disturbed since (based on the layers of paint on the hubs and bolts... Given that this truck has been exposed to desert heat and Illinois winters with no failures yet, I'll put my money on the wedges properly applied.
I am fairly certain that the Army was aware of silicone by the time that the PM magazine article was put out, so they must have has some reason other then 10 million cork wedges in stock to stick with that technology. To the M35A3 owners, do ANY of your hub keyways still have the cork wedges?
For the silicone advocates, I wish you well, but I have seen too many modern solutions fail in low tech applications where the older stuff always works, otherwise, why do most head gaskets still use copper in them? The technology (copper) gos back at least 150+ years in high pressure high temperature applications, and cork has been used probably as long or longer in other applications....
And, Vanna, hand me the card, please.............................
The other reason, the wedges are cheap.....!!!!