Just pulled the raer drums ( 9") to eyeball teh shoes. Drivers side was all wet. Didn't smell like Gear oil and didn't smell like Brake Fluid.
It smells like Bearing Grease, So I assume the Bearing doesn't get lubed by the Gear oil in the Diff.
Looking at replacement Bearing and seal it appears that they have a Sealed bearing that presses on the axle. And the Seal is about $20 Seems very expensive for a seal. Slide hammer to the axle to get it out is no biggy. but what's the deal with the seal. Does it seal into the axle housing or this Flange bracket? Why so expensive. The callout for the 8 3/4 axle seal is $5 much more realistic. They also had a different callout for 10" and 9" brakes. confusing.
My experience with Axle rebuilds have always been with the 'C' clip at the Diff type wher ethe Bearing and seal get pressed into the axle housing and the axle just slides in..

sounds like a good excuse to throw away that 7.25 abd atleast get an 8.25

Hi Tony. I'd pull the old inner seal out & drive in a new one & leave the flange/seal on the axle alone, taking the same care on driving the inner seal in as you do on an 8&3/4 so as not to damage it. (packing the rear spring side w grease/using as large a dia of flat face driver as will fit in there/starting it in w several easy hits to get it started square/then driving it in w your biggest hammer w as few strokes as possible keeping it square to minimize any chances of distorting it).

This '70 Valiant is my kids daily driver. The swap out for the 8 3/4 for this Slant six driver is not in the cards for this vehicle. Running and reliable is te name of this game.

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Hi Tony. I'd pull the old inner seal out & drive in a new one & leave the flange/seal on the axle alone, taking the same care on driving the inner seal in as you do on an 8&3/4 so as not to damage it. (packing the rear spring side w grease/using as large a dia of flat face driver as will fit in there/starting it in w several easy hits to get it started square/then driving it in w your biggest hammer w as few strokes as possible keeping it square to minimize any chances of distorting it).

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You think the gear oil is bleeding thru the outer bearing and outer seal to get on the brakes? I would smell that distinct gear oil smell, no?
I've done inner seals on my Jeep axle. a long rod from Drivers side to smack in the passenger side seal and vise/verse.

It's been such a long time since I've been in a 7&1/4 that I didn't even remember about their sealed bearing. When you said it is all wet it sure sounds like classic leaky cyl or gear lube from the center diff. A sealed bearing is not going to have very much lube in it.

sorry wrong info for a early 7 1/4

sorry wrong info for early 7 1/4

You may be right, I'll have to dig up some nos ones out in the garage. IIRC, they are in boxes with a locking collar only. Just a sealed bearing and a lock collar. so if the axle retainer does not do the sealing, there must be a seal pressed in housing.

You are correct the 68 7 1/4 axle is different. There is a inner seal and bearing with collar. I looked at a view in a 68 parts book. Sorry for the confusion. I didn`t know what year you were working with.

I just pulled the axle out of the '68. Inner seal type. The one I need to seal is in a '70 Valiant. I am guessing buy the Plate on the end that it is the same setup.
Interesting: I think the seal was installed backwards in the '68. The Solid Face was facing into the axle while I was looking at the Hollow end. Also I measured 0.5" width on the one I pulled from the '68 axle yet a NAPA replacement shows a 0.33 wide. The ID and OD look like they should be OK