Glad to be back after 30 days of mute status

So I did the brake job myself and managed to pull apart both hubs... no big deal one of them needed to be replaced anyway...

however, now I have gear lube pouring out around the left front axle... any ideas?

After a new transmission, lift pump and front brakes this year I've about given up on this truck... hopefully its an easy fix... could just be how im parked though

Im on probably a 25-30* incline with the nose pointing down

however I do have axle lube sprayed around my fender liner so I assume its just not right

[Edited by Admin]

 

Just the act of letting the axle end hang down unsupported will deform the seal and cause it to leak. Good news is 95% of them stop on their own. Give it 500 miles or so.
Also make sure the diff is filled to the factory recommended 3/4'' below the bottom of the fill hole on a level surface. Most every one I've seen filled to the bottom of the hole leaks until the correct level is reached.

 

if this is true then I am absolutely giddy

gotta love domestics

when my import starts leaking it never fixes itself unlike my dodge and chevy

 

just a note about that axle... the threads were pretty chewed up by some incompetant people cross threading the axle nut then impacting it on... wont mention any names on that since Larry will jump me if I do... but if I have to get that nut off again it will probably distroy what littlhe thread is left and I imagine those axles arent cheap... hopefully it will stop leaking...

will throwing it into 4wd help that any?

 

FastSS,
Check your PM's

 

FastSS,
When I was doing the real wheel seals the axle nut on one side was very, very hard to turn all the way off. It was very hot by the time I got it off. I inspected the threads on the axle and they appeared to be ok. I inspected the threads on the fibre nut and they were rounded off. What I deduced was that at the factory the threads on the axle were not cut deep enough. I bought an axle thread die kit (gave me an excuse to buy another tool) which had dies for several sizes. Since the nut costs $30.00 I did not want to put a new nut on and come up with the same results, damaged nut. I ran the die on the axle and sure enough I was right, the threads from the factory were not cut deep enough. I cleaned it up, put the new nut on and it went on with the usual pressure. A couple of years later I had to change the seal again and the nut came off with the customary resistance from the fibrelock portion of the nut and the threads on both the axle and the nut looked fine.

When I put the old nut on until the kit and the new nut came in it did shave more off the nut which could have been mistaken for cross thread. Of course I have not seen yours but the threads may only need to be cleaned up on the axle and a new nut installed.

 

the threads on the axle and nut are pretty torn up... I cant afford a die at the moment so I hope this lasts me for a bit... if the leaking is a problem, I have to take that side apart anyway so I might look into fixing the problem for the long term

 

im still leaking... any help?

 

I'd give it more time to heal otherwise go here>
http://dieselpowerman.tripod.com/Fro...xle%20Tech.htm

 

oh that looks like good fun... ill fill the diff in the morning and go from there... thats NOT something I want to dive into any time soon.

 

so its been like 800 miles and the axle leak got better... then it started leaking faster all of a sudden, guess I have to fix it for real...

So check this out, my local dodge dealer wants to charge me on the plus side of six hours at $80/hour to change the seals... looks like I'll spend a really nasty weekend fixing my broken goodness

 

Try another dealer, most only charge $150 per side.
Well worth it for most folks.

 

Local shop quoted me a crazy price like 500. His reasoning was if the outer seal is leaking then the inner seal is leaking as well and the whole axle would need to be disassembled. Makes sense I guess but I don't have 500 to throw away right now.

 

well since there is only 2 seals as far as I know, one right next to the diff for the drivers side and one right next to the passenger side wheel...

the whole darn thing needs to be taken apart for the drivers side seal, so you might as well do the passenger seal while you are in there...

 

When I change those seals the lip is usually worn right off, from the axle tube being full of grit, mud, etc. When you change the seals, make sure you clean the tubes out real well. This goes as well for removing the shaft for any reason. If you leave dirt in the tube, you will just push it into the seal when you reinstall the shaft.
Also, there is no reason to remove the big nut. Just leave it and remove the shaft as one with the hub/bearing/ rotor assy.
And yes, it is a 5 or 6 hour job to replace both axle seals in that front axle and will probably cost well over $400.
Have fun.