Anyone have any help with front axle seal replacement? Had it done 3 times at dealer ($300) and always leaks within a year again. Takes them just over an hour, but looks difficult to me. Started to do it myself but am puzzled. Very different than anything I've worked on before.

Any help?

Pilgrim

 

just had the front axle seal replace by my mechanic at 32k miles and 5 years. it was leaking and I dont have the skills to fix it.
this was the first time he (or the dealer) mentioned it,so i assume it was recent.
he charged me about $200.

 

Not too bad on the 2007 and up. You need to disconnect the halfshaft end from the wheel hub and free from the steering knuckle. Then the halfshaft then pounds off the axle stub. You do NOT need to open the front differential. You are not removing any c-clip inside it.

 

i just changed the driver's side front axle seal on my 07 last week. I took the cv axle right out. started by removing axle nut, disconnecting vacuum lines to iwe, then undid iwe from knuckle. took out sway bar link, separated upper ball joint from knuckle then swung knuckle out and pushed axle in and apart from knuckle. popped cv from diff with a pry bar then changed the seal. make sure that your diff vent isn't plugged. if it is, the diff will pressurize and push fluid out any or all of the seals.

 

Bunky- Thanks! Two questions:
1) What did you use to drive in the new seals?
2) Where is the differential vent located?

I've got the passenger side done, starting driver side.

 

I have a seal driver kit that I used to install the seal. But a hammer and a block of wood should probably work. The vent tube comes out up by the brake booster/master cylinder. When installing iwe make sure you compress it and plug vacuum port before putting onto knuckle

Sent from my Z10 using IB AutoGroup

 

If the seal has been replaced that many times you need to check for the actual problem. The leak, from your description, is a symptom of the problem not the problem. I would start by checking your breather to make sure it is not plugged, also check the connection at the pumpkin to make sure that nothing has clogged on that end too.

Then check the lip around the seal that is leaking, there is probably a burr or mar on the seal surface that is causing the seal to fail, if that is the case you need to either smooth the burr or build up the imperfection and smooth it back down to OE specs. If you paid 3 times at the dealer they should do this one on the house and also fix the real problem.

My .02 cents.

 

I had it replaced again in 2013 when this thread started. The shaft (seal surface) and breather has been checked multiple times. It always starts leaking when we get into real cold weather (northern Canada), but never leaks a large amount. I've always just replaced it out of fear of it starting to leak badly at an inconvenient time, and usually these things don't improve. Again in early 2014 it started it's annual leak again. This time I decided to just keep a close eye on it. It leaked for 2 or 3 months then dried up and has stayed at the proper level for a couple of months now. I can't explain it, but that's what's happened.