Front hub replacement/axle housing seal

[burb31]

Ok...I replaced both front hubs a few weeks ago. I have only driven it once since...Iv'e been waiting to get the money for the tie rod and drag link...blah blah. Well, I noticed I had diff fluid coming out of the axle tube on the pass side...leaking all over the bottom ball joint. I took everything back apart and cleaned the best I could in the tube before putting the axle back in. I put it all back together but I don't know if it will seal this time. It appears there is a seal close to the diff that seals around the inner axle. Hopefully it was just some debris keeping it from sealing properly. If not...I guess I need to change that rubber seal...anyone ever done this?

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

ive only read about it, from my understanding the driver side seal is in the pumpkin and you need to remove the diff to replace it. (please correct if im wrong)the passenger side you have to access through the 4wheel actuator box on the axle.to me it would be a time consuming process.But you might only have allowed fluid that was above the seal to drain and it sealed back up.

[silverram323]

Passenger acess at the cad. = center axel disconnectdriver side you'll have to remove the carrrier.Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

[hex0rz]

I HAVE DONE THIS! :banghead: I will WARN you, do it right the first time! Your seals are going out, and you need to replace them. I hope you have not recently serviced the front-differential as this will require a complete gutting to do so. You will need to remove the tires, calipers, hubs, and axles. Take the front diff off and drain out the differential. You will need to remove the CAD fork assembly, and remove the intermediate axle as well. You will need to remove the steering component in front of the diff. cover. I can't remember what one that was. You will know, becuase it will be in your way when you try and remove the diff. guts. Then, you will need someone to help you remove it, as one person needs to be prying and the other needs to hold the weight of the diff guts as it comes out. When you remove the bolts that hold it in, make sure to keep it in the proper order. The diff. may also have shims as well. The bearing races can fall off easily as well. Make sure you KNOW the ORDER of the parts! You DO NOT need a diff. spreader, contrary to what people think. I took mine out a few times without one. Take a long pry bar that gives you alot of leverage, and cover the end with a rag. Then, take a piece of wood, and place it right next to the hole of the housing. Get your buddy ready, and then pry. The wood creates a fulcrum point that gives you enough leverage. Place the end of the pry bar on the inner part of the ring gear. This is a non-mating surface for the teeth should you slip. It should come out fairly easy. Once, the guts are out. Proceed to knocking out both of the seals. One is on the inside of the housing on the drivers side and the other is on the far side of the passenger axle housing. You should have seen it when you took the cad and int. axle out. HERE is the TRICK. You will be hard pressed to get the pass. seal in any other way than THIS. Take a piece of PVC pipe the INSIDE DIAMETER of the seal, I had to sand mine down to match the ID of the seal, so do not be surprised if you do too. Then, get about 6ft of all-thread. 3/8 all-thread would be good. Get 2 nuts that will thread on the all-thread. Find some fender washers that will fit the diameter of the PVC pipe. CLEAN the area of the seals with emery cloth or whatever you have that will make the surface smooth-and-clean again. Take some bearing grease and coat the surfaces. Mount the nut on the end of the all-thread at the end of it. This side will be what you use to take a mallet or sledge in my case to pound the seal in. On the working end, place the piece of PVC in the inside of the seal, put your nut on the all-thread, and then put your fender washer on, and finally your PVC. You will have to assemble the working end inside the CAD housing. As you hold the conglomerate of this mcgyver workings, the friend you have convinced into helping, will take a beating tool of some sort and start hitting the end of the all-thread. Remember, you have inserted this assembly from the driver side to the passenger side. Using patience and finesse, the seal should go in without damage and seat completely. The driver side seal, well that is self explanitory. There is not much to be said about that one. Now, put everything back together, torquing your bolts to spec. It took me 2 days to figure this out, how to do the seal. TRUST ME when I say this, I did try everything that people said on the net! This was the only way it worked for me! I went through 2 seals before I finally figured this method out. BTW, sorry for the lack of paragraph breaking, this stupid thing wont let me do it. If I hit enter, it just causes the whole thing to move down a line.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

i actually have that setup ready to do mine, but instead of beating it i was going to "draw" the seal to seat. so i would be taking another nut and tightening it against a bar sitting on the axle end so that it will smoothly pull the seal into its seat. thus it can be a one man job (aside from carrier removal)but yes that carrier is a heavy glob of metal from what i hear.

[hex0rz]

...here is my reason why I say that method I recommend is probably the only one that will work. I have tried different methods of all sorts. I also tried to use the setup I described above in 2 different ways. 1. I tried to use it like a slide hammer coming in from the passenger side. Did not work. Seated crooked. 2. Tried to use a 2x4 on the passenger side spindle and pull the seal in. Probably how you were thinking. The seal would not seat properly nor would it even begine to start. I had so much compression on it all, I broke the 2x4. I even used washers to try and increase the surface area of the compression to spread the burden of the load. Alignment is the problem as well. You have to get it just right for it to work any. Believe it or not, I feel that the only approachable method to doing it is how I described...

[silverram323]

HEX is right on track. I have done front axle seals on both of my rams (2001 & 95).

Pull both axels, steering bar in front of diffy, and loosen the bearing caps, DO NOT TAKE THEM OFF, Notice the stamped markings already stamped on the caps.

I never did have luck using a pry bar myself, I will let you in on two different ideas that worked for me.

Use the two wrench method, Now you are ready to remove the differential. You will not be able grab it and pull it out with your bare hands. Get a 3/4" box end wrench and place it on one

of the ring gear bolts. Next, turn the pinion until the wrench contacts the top

of the axle housing. Turn the pinion more and the differential will be forced

out of the housing. Now is where you can grab it and remove it. If it is still

tight, use a pry bar or other kind of lever.

My favorite way to remove a carrier, use a paper towel. Thats right a paper towel, Take one sheet and fold it 3 or 4 times and feed it into the pinion/ring gear area and use a wrench and turn the carrier and it will walk its way right out of the housing. Its nice to have a helper, once loose hold carrier and take caps off, carrier is heavy so be ready.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

...here is my reason why I say that method I recommend is probably the only one that will work. I have tried different methods of all sorts. I also tried to use the setup I described above in 2 different ways. 1. I tried to use it like a slide hammer coming in from the passenger side. Did not work. Seated crooked. 2. Tried to use a 2x4 on the passenger side spindle and pull the seal in. Probably how you were thinking. The seal would not seat properly nor would it even begine to start. I had so much compression on it all, I broke the 2x4. I even used washers to try and increase the surface area of the compression to spread the burden of the load. Alignment is the problem as well. You have to get it just right for it to work any. Believe it or not, I feel that the only approachable method to doing it is how I described...

i will take your word for it, ive not experienced the joy of this yet and experience is the truth. Thank you for the input, when i do mine i will use this info sir!