Leaking axle seal

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Dec 4, 2007 | 08:38 PM

blueoval77

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Leaking axle seal

Hi

I have a 77(lowboy) F2504x4
The front axle seal is leaking gear oil slightly.
How big of a job is it to replace them (dana 44)
I beleave I have to pull the ring gear to get at them?
Is there anything special to putting it all back together?
Any comments would be appreciated

Dec 4, 2007 | 08:44 PM

gnwalker

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From: Hedgesville WV

if its only slightly then you could just add oil a little every once in a while

Dec 4, 2007 | 08:48 PM

blueoval77

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Well its getting worse and the truck already has enough leaks:-)

Dec 4, 2007 | 09:00 PM

RJR99SS

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Where's the oil leaking out of? The axle tubes, the diff cover, or the by the pinion yoke?

Dec 4, 2007 | 09:19 PM

blueoval77

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sorry. its leaking from the seal aroung the axleshaft inside the diff

Dec 4, 2007 | 09:24 PM

RJR99SS

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Then yeah, you have to pull the shafts, pull the carrier out, knock the old seals out and pound new ones in. It's a pretty big job....

Dec 4, 2007 | 10:06 PM

blueoval77

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ive had everything except the diff apart before. How hard is it to pull the carrier?

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Dec 5, 2007 | 12:01 PM

RJR99SS

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Quote:

Originally Posted by blueoval77

ive had everything except the diff apart before. How hard is it to pull the carrier?

It's not very easy, they're usually in there pretty dang tight. There's a lot of things you can try, prying it out with prybars is the simpliest method. Some people like to put a rag on the ring gear, and then rotate the pinion until it contacts the rag, which pushes the carrier out....in theory. I've done that a few times, but it only pushes the carrier just a little bit. My one buddy made this little rig up, it was just a piece of webbing that he wrapped around the carrier, and he made a special little attachment to attach the webbing to a slide hammer. Then he'd just pound on it with the slide hammer until it popped out. Worked great...until one day he cracked a carrier in half doing that. The carriers are made out of a very brittle cast iron...they dont like being shocked like that.

Some people say to use a case spreader, i've used them but it's more of a pain in the *** trying to get the case spreader on there and staying on there than just trying to get the carrier out without it. Plus if you dont know what you're doing you can damage the case with it.

My best advice is just a couple of prybars, and a lot of patience.

Dec 5, 2007 | 05:07 PM

#10

Drac

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From: Boyne Mich

I agree if they have the proper preload on the bearings they are tight and tough to get get out. I used the gentle prybar method myself for removal.

But then, How do you get them back in with out using a spreader? I used a home built crappy spreader to get mine in. It was, shall I say "not the safest thing I worked with" But using the dial indicator to watch the spread, it worked slick. Dropped the carrier right in with the proper preload.

Basically, like started above the entire axle gets disassembled. New bearings and seals anyone?

Dec 5, 2007 | 09:12 PM

#11

blueoval77

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the vent is a very good point as i beleave it is clogged. I cant beleave i didnt think of that before. I will unclog it and then see. thank you

Dec 5, 2007 | 10:10 PM

#12

RJR99SS

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Drac

But then, How do you get them back in with out using a spreader?

I just get them up into place and then tap them in with a plastic hammer. If you dont have one, a lot of people will just use a chunk of wood and a regular hammer. They're not all that hard to tap back in....it's just getting them out thats the problem.