Reach into your front "C"... Grab axel u-joints and lift. If your inner and outer axel lifts up...then your "Knuckle" seal(which is a CRAPPTASTIC design BTW) is shot. Pull your breaks, rotor, hubs and unit bearing off. Bang the hell out of the back side of the u-joints ears to dislodge the seal and axel. Install new "Knuckle" seal and prey it last another 6 months.

The "Knucle" seal supports all the weight of both the inner and outer axels at the joints and if it is shot then the joints get to bang up and down inside the knuckle.

NAPA is the only place I've found that sells this POS. I have a 2002 250. It has the heavy duty tow package. Dana 60 in the front.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone.........

 

I believe you are not as familiar with what supports the stub axle as you think you are.

More details to follow if requested.

Pop

 

Pictures? I noticed i have part of a seal (the lip) just ridding freely on my axle shaft... not sure if it's bad though?

 

I am interested Pop, My truck still has its vibration and a couple MN boys took apart my driveline to see if there was a bad u-joint/carrier bearing. Took it for a spin and it was gone right after they dismantled it. 2 days later it was back, anything I can learn will help. Thanks in advance for sharing.......

 

The seal just seals out water, and seals in vacuum. No supporting anything.

Rather than the seal supporting the stub axle outboard of the U-joint, there are really two bearings that it rides on. One is located deep inside the front (sealed) hub, and the other is in the hub locking mechanism.

Guzzle has taken photos of them both, and they are both serviceable.

The one inside the hub is detailed by Guz here:
Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Needle Bearing Maintenance Web Page
It needs servicing every 60,000 miles.

The one in the hub lock is detailed here:
Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Autolock Hub Lubrication Maintenance Web Page
Because it is so simple to get to, you could grease this one every year or so.

That little ring (lip) that just hangs there loose, looking like it's lost, is "normal". Not that it SHOULD be that way, just that ALL of ours are like that, and it doesn't seem to make a bit of difference if it's in place or not. It doesn't hurt anything for it to be that way, apparently.

Pop

 

Springer- True to the duel bearings...BUT if your seal was as shot as mine was it was allowing water in to the needle bearings which were also quickly getting shot.

I did forget to mention that I also replaced the unit bearing(whole thing). When I first did the needle bearing replacement though, I failed to see the reason for the failure. STARTING with the seal and working outward was the trick I found. The seal is real firm in the design and when the needle bearing goes out then the seal fails at an exponetial rate.