Leaking inner axle seal?

[mountainexplorer]

I have gear lube leaking out from the pass side (short side) axle tube in my Suburban. It just started doing it.

How hard is it to replace inner seals in a Dana 60 front?

 

[TrcksR4ME]

Probably as hard as doing a 44 or 10 bolt /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Same principal I would think.

 

[mountainexplorer]

Well, I havent replaced one in any axle before... I've always had this tendancy that if some small thing goes wrong, I'll buy a whole other parts truck and just swap whole front ends to avoid having to buy the parts and go through the labor of fixing it. Only thing is, its not that easy to do with Dana 60s, so I think I'll have to actually break down and fix it.

 

[TrcksR4ME]

Well when I did the seals on my dana 44 I essentially stripped down the entire axle. Had to pull the axle shafts out as well as the carrier and ring gear. It is a PITA to go through in order to replace two seals. But it gives you a good chance to go through the axle and check EVERYTHING /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif

 

[Leadfoot]

[ QUOTE ]
Probably as hard as doing a 44 or 10 bolt /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Same principal I would think.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Pull the wheel, caliper, locking hub, the hub itself, spindle, and then axle shaft on both sides. Then pull diff cover and carrier. This will allow access to the seals. I may have missed a thing or two but that is the general idea. (same principle as doing it to a 10b/d44, just the parts are a little different/bigger).

I used a piece of black plumbing pipe to drive the old seals out and then used another piece with an old lug stud (9/16") welded to it (to hold seal driver) to stick through the axle and drive the new seals in.

 

[K5MONSTERCHEV]

/forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif If you didnt want to take it all apart, you could probablly just unbolt the knuckle and leave everyhthing attached. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Leadfoot]

[ QUOTE ]
/forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif If you didnt want to take it all apart, you could probablly just unbolt the knuckle and leave everyhthing attached. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you tried that.......

I know you can ubolt the knuckle from the tube and it will take the spindle, hub, etc with it, but unless you remove the kingpin itself (PITA) I don't think you can manuever it enough to get it off with the axle still in the housing, and the only way to get the axle out is to remove the spindle, hub, etc. I could be wrong so please correct me if I am.

Plus it's a good time to check the locking hubs and your hub bearings and seals while your taking everything apart.

 

[K5MONSTERCHEV]

NO, never tired it, I was kind of kidding, but it might work?! /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif it doesnt seem like that big of a deal to me to take the lockouts, wheel bearings, spindle, ect. off to get the shafts out.