Front Diff Axle Seal?

[dhcomp]

Ok, so i did Ball joints a few weeks ago.

Didn't use the PVC tray idea to reinsert my axle shafts, and now my passenger side axle seal is leaking out the end of the diff tube.

Anyone have the diff center section exploded view? Can't find one on Autozone.com


I'm guessing this seal is replaced by removing the axle shaft, and opening the diff cover? Do you have to remove the gears?


Anyone have this part number? No one seems to understand all the seals/bearings at the part store....

What a PITA
Luckily, if its not leaking too bad, im thinking its fine to drive on in 2wd. Even if a lot of the diff fluid leaks out, as long as the bearings in teh hubs are greased, im good to go, correct?

Thanks guys!

 

[Stomis]

Dont feel bad. I dont use an PVC tray whatever your talking about to put my shafts in and the only time it seeped is when I changed them with the original ones in there.

Theres not much to this just time. Your gonna wanna take your outers apart and remove your shafts. Drain your diff and pop the cover. Wipe down the main caps (the caps that hold the carrier in) and make them left and right and top and bottom with something, this is important to not mix up. Remove the caps and the races they hold in.

Now the next part can go one of two ways, easily or very very tough. Give the ring gear/carrier a tug. If it does budge the next step is to try a prybar between the housing and carrier. If it still doesnt pop at this poing then its a good time to build yourself a landing pad. Gonna wanna take some cardboard boxes, rags, old blankets, whatever ya got and give your carrier a spot to land infron of the diff if you should loose your grip on its.

Now the next step in backyard tech would be to chock your rear wheels so the truck cant move forward, set your brake, and loop a piece of rope through the carrier. Find a good solid point to put a come along on and start exerting some mechanical force on the bitch. The other thing you can try that never worked for me is the same principle but pushing off the housing with a hi-lift.

Technically your suppose to locate a case spreader that will open it up a thousandth of an inch and let it fall right out.

Once its out take a broom stick, narrow piece of pvc or something of that nature and slide it down the axle tube. Give the seal a good shot, top bottom, left, right and it will pop out.

Once they are out I recommend going over kill here. Obviously clean the seal machined surface with some carb cleaner really good. Dope the outside mating surface of the seal where it meats the housing with rtv. This will glue the thing in place and insure you dont doink it outta place with a shaft again.

 

[dhcomp]

Which way do the seals go in? From the inside of the diff, or outside of the tube? Maybe If its from the inside of the diff, is there a chance its just out of whack, and i can reach in there wiht the cover off and put it back, or replace it?

Or does the carrier definitely have to come out? I've got the outer stuff down now, that isnt' hard. Just really don't want to tear the whole carrier out.

Thanks man.

 

[Stomis]

It has to no questions. The seal goes in from inside the carrier. You wont even be able to remove them the the carrier in there its right up against them.

Theres no adjustments to reset though. All the backlash shimming is between the carrier and the bearing.

 

[dhcomp]

OK. I am not excited about doing this. It will only leak down to the level of the lowest seal.....right? So when it stops leaking....i'll forget about it for a while, haha.

I'll do it before winter / 4x4 season.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

They are pretty simple to replace really. Just time consuming to pull everything apart to get to them. Check my build thread in my sig. I have some good pictures in there of how I did mine on my latest build. I run the PVC in my tubes as well.

 

[4X4HIGH]

The biggest favor you can do for yourself is to buy the seals from the dealer that have a metal axle guard built into them so the axle doesn't drag along the seal when you're reinstalling the axle. ALL the aftermarket seals bought at parts stores that i've seen DO NOT have this feature. As people have said, you must remove all the outers and axles and carrier to replace these seals. When you're ready to do the job give me a call and i'll explain how to install them correctly the first time without ruining a seal or getting it installed crooked.

 

[dhcomp]

MT, looked at the pics, thanks.

Scott. Sounds like a plan. Although not hte best approach, does my justification for not doing this right away make sense? I just don't want to overlook something that might run dry.

Also, is this a common way/reason for these to leak? Is there some other wierd thing going on that is leaking, or are mine just due after 215k?

 

[4X4HIGH]

It's not a big deal if they leak. Mine are currently leaking as well. It's only an issue if you're in 4wd and the diff is really low or empty then the gears won't have any lube. Remember that while you're in 2wd the front diff gears aren't moving (assuming you have manual locking hubs that are unlocked).

 

[dhcomp]

It's not a big deal if they leak. Mine are currently leaking as well. It's only an issue if you're in 4wd and the diff is really low or empty then the gears won't have any lube. Remember that while you're in 2wd the front diff gears aren't moving (assuming you have manual locking hubs that are unlocked).

Cool. That is what i was going through my head. Just good to hear it verified. Its getting moved down the priority list a ways.

How rigged would it be to squish a cheap sponge into the end of the tube so i don't have to watch it drip on the driveway...

 

[sweetk30]

easy way to clean out the tubes of junk.

hardware store list.

1 4 ft length of threaded rod.
2 nuts to fit threaded rod. i prefer 1 nylock for outside end.
1 big fender washer that just about fits in axle tube.

take washer and cut 1/3 of it off to make about a 1/2 washer. install reg nut on threaded rod. then special washer and last other nut. tighten down good.

then with axle shaft out of hole run the new tool in with the cut section facing down as to not push junk to diff / seal area. then when in to seal turn 180* and pull back and watch the junk come out.

i do this all the time at work when doing shafts and joints. no real problems yet. and also no pvc for me. slow and steady and hold just right at end and you can tilt it up a bit when going in the seal.

 

[4xcrazy]

are you sure you're just not getting the residule leak from the oil that may have come out when you removed the shafts?

gonna have some left over in the tubes for awhile unless you cleaned them out.

mine did this for awhile when i did some changes to my front diff, did not replace the seals, but hasn't leaked for some time now.

also try locking the front hubs to get the axles to rotate for a bit around the block, maybe re-seat them (sounds weird) but just a thought.

 

[chulisohombre]

i got my seals from national auto parts.they had 2 designated seals.one with the metal lip to guide in the shaft through the seal and one with out.it was i think only a few bucks difference.well worth having the more quality seals.ibelieve they came from moog dealer.

 

[dhcomp]

are you sure you're just not getting the residule leak from the oil that may have come out when you removed the shafts?

gonna have some left over in the tubes for awhile unless you cleaned them out.

mine did this for awhile when i did some changes to my front diff, did not replace the seals, but hasn't leaked for some time now.

also try locking the front hubs to get the axles to rotate for a bit around the block, maybe re-seat them (sounds weird) but just a thought.

Not a bad point. After hearing others with this problem, and remembering they don't turn all the time, i'm not that worried about it. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[chulisohombre]

i forgot about the gear oil left in the tube after pulling it apart.there will always be some left behind.but if it continues to leak change it.if it stops you may be good.or as you said the level ran out to the height of the seal.just dont go doin any river crossings until you know for sure.would not want water in there.