Replacing axle seals & boots

[QuickKafer]

Okay here's a question for those tranny gurus...

My swing axle tranny is leaking from the side covers and the boots are shot.  How hard of a job is it to replace the seals and boots?  I didn't want to just rip out the tranny and then start taking the side covers off and slapping new seals in there.  It is my understanding that the seals are part of the shimming process on the tranny.

Is this a job that I can do with the tranny and motor in the car?  Or do I need to drop them?  With the fresh paint, the clean engine compartment, and new interior, it would be a shame to let this go.  My extent of "tranny knowledge" goes as far as swapping them out and changing the fluid.

Can anybody give me a comprehensive low down on the process?

Thanks!
Scott Faivre

[PJMS]

....It is my understanding that the seals are part of the shimming process on the tranny....

This depends on the age of your swing axle tranny.  On early models (up to halfway through the 67 model year) the shims were also the seals.  After this, the shims were just shims and an O-ring provided the seal.  If you are leaving the tranny in place, you can replace the boots with the 'split' type.  if you are removing it, then you have the option to install the original non-split type of boot.

[QuickKafer]

Yeah, I did that on my 64 vert before I pulled it to install a new 'Beecher Box'.  I'm not looking to do anything other than seal up the leaky tranny.  Anybody got any tricks to make the job go easier?  Time is my main concern.  I don't want to have to rebleed the brakes and all that if I don't have to.

SF

[QuickKafer]

Still looking for a few pointers...  I looked at a few manuals and such, but I'm also looking for some suggestions from the "seasoned veterans"... (Nice way of saying "old guys" )

SF

[maui]

For the boot, put on jackstands. Take off tire. put jack under shock and lift enough to make the axle straight so you get room on the bottom for the boot to slip in and put one on and screw and clamp it down. If the axle no like go up and come straight then you get a short chain and run it under the jack and over the place where the shock is then lift the jack up so only the axle moves up then slip the boot in.  Seal is small o-ring and metal ring with taper in. Then silicone then backing plate then silicone gasket silicone gasket big o-ring then cover with the washer and seal already installed and grease the inside so the metal ring just slips over easy and then bolt down. Hope you know what I tried for say cuz even I have hard time understand it.

[QuickKafer]

You know what guys, I messed up... I didn't mean the axle seals, I meant the tranny side cover seals.  Sorry about the confusion.  But I looked at it again last weekend and the nose cone is leaking too.  I might as well just drop the tranny out.  More work that I don't have time for.   

Scott Faivre