Drive member gasket

[white90]

If there is oil on the outside of the wheel rim only, then it's either the drive member gasket or a poorly fitting/damaged hub cap.

In this case it's the gasket, and this is how to replace it on the rear - the front requiring the drive member to be seperated from the shaft/c.v joint, but otherwise the same gasket and method.

Vehicle is a 200TDi 90.

Raise the vehicle clear of the ground - this is to prevent transmission backlash and to help aligning the drive member with the hub when you re-fit it.

Leaking axle oil is spun out over the rim and tyre - making a right mess.

Careful what you use to clean it up - I use WD40. Substances such as petrol, brake and clutch cleaner, acetone, cellulose thinners, will damage the tyre.

Undo and remove the 5 x 17mm drive member bolts.

Lever the drive member out of the hub assembly - there will be some oil loss as you do this.

Bits of the old gasket will be on the hub and back of the drive member. Use a gasket scraper/stanley blade/paint scraper to remove all traces of it.

Apply a thin layer of grease to the hub face and stick the new gasket to it.

Slide the driveshaft back in (you will have to manipulate it in order for it to fit back in the differential).

You may also have to turn the wheel in order to line-up the bolt holes.

Check the spring washers on the drive member bolts and replace them if they have flattened. Also consider using threadlock on the bolt threads. Tighten the bolts evenly and lower the vehicle back to the ground. Check and top-up the axle oil.

You can do this job without raising the wheel off the ground, but if there's any transmission wind-up in the drivetrain, then there's a risk of injury when the last drive member bolt is removed as the wind-up is released.

Les.