D60 Outer Axle Seals

[LNielson]

I'm in the process of regearing/rebuilding my front D60 and am wondering if anyone is running outer axle seals http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/Dana60UpgradeParts.htm (about halfway down the page). Are these worth the trouble? I don't play in deep mud when I can avoid it, but sometimes cross a stream or two. I hope to not be this deep into my front axle again for a long while, so if they are value added, I'll probably go for a set now...

What do you guys think?

 

[GWeakland620]

 

[blazinzuk]

Im not a fan. Never used em myself, but an axle i took apart did. Bunch of crap inside the tube. So something got in.

 

[LNielson]

They would for sure trap anything that makes it through. I guess I'll skip them this go 'round. Maybe if I played in the mud more, but I hate cleaning that shiz off...

 

[chris85]

I put some in mine. My truck doesn't drive yet so don't know how well they actually work. They fit in the axle tube a lot looser than I expected. I could almost push them in by hand. I think if they were a little tighter they'd be more effective.

 

[nvrenuf]

Aside from trapping debris and water, I always wonder how long the seal itself actually lasts. There is no machined seal surface on that part of the axle shaft so any axle that's not brand new is going to have a rusty scale / pitted / rough surface that has got to act like sand paper on the seal lip.

 

[Ned Kelly]

Yes, to what you say. I ended up not installing them for that reason.
Nice idea but no good surface for the seal to ride on. The seal area is about 2" of rubber (ie. length of the seal). I think it relies on it's length and grease to seal out debris.

I wonder if you put a good deal of grease in the axle tube, so it would be behind the seal (ie. between this new outer seal and diff) if that would keep debris from getting to the diff seal it is supposed to protect? Basically making a large grease barrier.

 

[chris85]

I'd like to see some of the aluminum style with a zerk fitting. Wonder if they'd work any better. I've only seen them for a Dana 30 and 44.