woodrat

So, after putting up with some degree of the Death Wobble for over a decade, I am finally getting around to rebuilding my front kingpins. I have too many things I need to do with the truck pretty soon, not the least of which is camping out of it, and I can't tolerate the screwy front end any longer.

I'm ordering the kit from quad4x4.com, and new u joints, too, and I was wondering about the inner axle seals. Mine don't seem to be leaking, and I was wondering if it is a "must replace" kind of thing, or only if leaking.

My FSM doesn't say a word about them. I see in a thread here online where Thrashingcows replaced his (https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...-305923/page7/) but it looks like he had to remove the carrier assembly in order to do it. Quad4x4.com sells a kit with the fancy installation tool, but it's not exactly cheap with the tool.

Who has done these? Did you buy the tool? Did you make a homemade one, like Thrashingcows did? Do you really have to remove the ring gear carrier to get it done?

lz_68

I would probably replace them. I did u-joints, outer shafts and hubs a few years ago and one of the seals got torn up from pulling the axle shaft. Unfortunately I didn't know that till it was back together and had to pull the axles again to replace the seals.

Another thing is to make sure you get the proper seals with the starting cone, some companies list the standard seal and the cone seal with the same part number.

As for the install tool, its not really necessary, you can remove and install them with a large socket, hammer and about 3 feet of extension. Was kind of a pain when I did it by myself but would be pretty easy with a second person.

You do have to remove the carrier, I don't have a case spreader so I ended up using a leather glove and a breaker bar handle in the yoke to remove it. To do this you have the axles out, bearing caps off, remove the driveshaft on the axle end, and put the u-joint straps back on. Next you put a glove or shop rag on ring gear and rotate yoke to suck the rag into the pinion and as it wedges in it will push the carrier out.

After the new seals are in you can use soft faced dead blow to tap the carrier back into place.

Here's a link to a vid for an idea of what involved doing the seals. It's a smaller dana axle but the seals install the same.

woodrat

Super helpful, thanks!

mknittle

I got mine here much better price
KING PIN BEARING SEAL REBUILD KIT BUSHING SPRING AND UPPER KINGPIN DODGE DANA 60 | eBay

they have a website if you don't like e-bay

mknittle

here's wow I did mine. post 993 and 994
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...314771/page67/

woodrat

I ended up ordering from Ventures, too.

Thanks for the link!

Mark

mknittle

Glad to help.