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Front ale seals

Kain

Kain

3/4 ton status
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Lubbock Texas
how much of a pain in the butt is it to change the front axle seals?
do i need any special tools? How much to have it done?
Just noticed its starting to leak on the front right axle seal,wonder if i should do it myself or have it done.
 
It involves a complete tear down of the front axle. Hubs, Spindles, Axle Shafts and the Ring Gear and Carrier (they come out as a unit) just make sure you keep track of the bearing caps and shims for each side.. Drive the seals out to the inside and to replace just the opposite. Just getting ready to put mine back together after a complete 10 Bolt front rebuild. But mine is on Jack Stands in the garage, making it much easier.
Labor will kill you cost wise if you have a shop do it. But you kind of open up a can of worms depending on the condition of Ball Joints or King Pins depending on your application. Hub bearings, tre's and axle shaft u-joints. I went with all new everything and I have about 350 to 400 just in parts. So be prepared for the little extras.
 
If possible, I'd try to combine the job with carrier work or wheel bearing service, since as noted it is a hassle. Nothing difficult, just the whole mess has to come out. If they aren't leaking, let them be.

As for getting them out, I used a PVC pipe roughly the internal diameter of the axle, and just hit them until they popped out. If they are original, they will probably be fused in there. The parts will definitely nickel-and-dime you, since the "might as well" situation applies. Complete bearing and seal kits, ball joints, etc will cost something, and you really only want to do the job once. I think it basically took me a whole day to pull the carrier, replace the seals, axle u-joints, hub seals, hub and wheel bearings, ball joints, and brake pads, and that was with the axle on jack stands.
 
Thanks for the link,i checked the #s on the front it says 44-8e on the right of the housing
does that mean dana 44?on the left of the housing is 38336
 
and i printed it out,and im going to start buying parts.
though about changing the front u joints and buying new rotors and wheel bearings
while i have it apart
 
Not hard just time consuming. A long pipe works great to knock the old ones out. Then just find a socket that fits well on the new seal, and tap it in.
 
I just had a shop do a "rebuild" of the "44" on my Ford. I knew the axle seals were leaking, plus there was about 200K on the front end, so I knew there would be other problems.
Mine is the independent version, and I had to replace the solid side axle due to a deep groove cut in it where the seals goes.
In fact, the old one is still in the back of the truck if you want a pic of what you may find.

Can't give you a price, since it was part of a general rebuild of the whole truck, but I wound up with new ball joints, new left front axle complete, all seals, bearings and a new halfshaft on the right.

So, be prepared for what you might find.
 
Oh, and who knows, things might go even easier if you do it like your title mistype says.........:D
 
I regret not doing my ball joints when I did my seals...now they pop and click. I should have "might as well"ed some more...

You can totally do it though. I remember I had a harder time tapping the new seals in then knocking the old ones out due to lack of room to swing a small hammer. Next time I might try a foot long metal pipe as a hammer
 
nutt7 said:
I regret not doing my ball joints when I did my seals...now they pop and click. I should have "might as well"ed some more...

You can totally do it though. I remember I had a harder time tapping the new seals in then knocking the old ones out due to lack of room to swing a small hammer. Next time I might try a foot long metal pipe as a hammer
Click to expand...

I know a guy who made a tool out of threaded rod and a piece of pipe to install those inner seals easier,as he worked in a shop that did a lot of 4x4 repairs...

He welded a nut to the pipe,one that fit the threaded rod ,then welded a thick flat washer with the outside diameter the right size to press against the sea,l on the other end of the pipe--a socket or piece of pipe the right size would work also----on the end of the threaded rod he made a "U" shaped piece of flat stock to weld to it,that was wide enough not to touch the seal on the opposite side,that bears against the diff housing--(he tried at first using the tool to press both seals in at once,but that didn't work out so hot)....
To "press" in the seals you had to align the tool in place and use a wrench on the nut welded to the pipe to "unscrew" the pipe on the threaded rod--to "push" on the seal..then flip the tool over,and do the other side..it worked pretty good,a lot better than a hammer anyway..
 
Thats good to yank the old seals out with,its putting the new ones back in without muckling them thats the problem...
Since its a suck job to tear the whole axle apart to do them,they are the last ones you'd want to have to go back in,and do over,if they get distorted when you tap them in with a hammer,its too easy to muck them up when there is so little room to "swing" in there!..
Personally I think they could have designed a better means of sealing up the axle tubes on the outer ends,instead of letting them fill up with water and sand,all the way to the inner seals..
I've seen front axle tubes so full of muck the axle shafts packed them almost solid with mud and goop..
 
ya im wondering how bad mine are since i play in every mud puddle i see.....
 
I suppose if you get enough mud packed in the tubes,eventually any leaks will stop...:thinking:...:D...
One customer at my friends shop had his diff seals "replaced" at a local Pep Boys,when my friend couldn't get to his truck for a week or more,and he was in a rush,needed the truck for plowing customers lots--...he ended up taking them to court after he found they "fixed" it by pumping several tubes of RTV silicone in the axle tubes,it worked great for about a week!..:rolleyes:

Frankly I'm surprised those inner seals dont get trashed quickly,seeing the outer end of the axle can float quite a bit up and down,the needle bearing in the spindle doesn't really stop much slop at the axle housing end near the u-joint...there really should be a bearing and a bootie there,but I guess without one it takes a long time for leakage to happen,when the truck isn't used off road much at least..
 
is there a seal between the locking hub with the 6 bolts that hold it on?
the reason i ask is mine is spitting goo out there
 
There should be A o-ring around the cap yes. I always put some RTV around there for added security too.
 
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