Leaking axle seal?

[ZSum73]

Im off to the dealer to pick up my truck after the 2nd axle repair. The dealer told me that Chrysler is now putting a new sealant on the axle seals that that is a working sealant for metal to metal contacts that should take care of the leak issue I'm not sure whether to believe this or not or it's just a bunch of bullshit to quiet me out until it leaks again

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[ShadowsPapa]

Im off to the dealer to pick up my truck after the 2nd axle repair. The dealer told me that Chrysler is now putting a new sealant on the axle seals that that is a working sealant for metal to metal contacts that should take care of the leak issue Is not sure whether to believe this or not or it's just a bunch of bullshit to quiet me out until it leaks again

That suggests to me that the situation is seal to axle housing leakage.
There are seals that have a sealer made right onto the outer circumference of the seal shell and it is a solid until installed. You'll see it as a different color. Others have a red outer coating that is not just paint, but a thin sealer as well. There are also seals with rubber ribs around the outer circumference (Some engine main seals have that feature)
Most of these leak so very slowly and very little my first hunch was outer circumference - perhaps a housing issue or the seal wasn't sealing against the housing.
It will be interesting to see what happens........

 

[ZSum73]

That suggests to me that the situation is seal to axle housing leakage.
There are seals that have a sealer made right onto the outer circumference of the seal shell and it is a solid until installed. You'll see it as a different color. Others have a red outer coating that is not just paint, but a thin sealer as well. There are also seals with rubber ribs around the outer circumference (Some engine main seals have that feature)
Most of these leak so very slowly and very little my first hunch was outer circumference - perhaps a housing issue or the seal wasn't sealing against the housing.
It will be interesting to see what happens........

I love my dealership, don't get me wrong, they do a great job and have taken great care of me through all of this. I spoke directly to the tech today that did the work and he said there is a tsb for this issue that mentions porous metal surfaces and they changed the sealant prep with a new product. He also said that it needs and is required to dry and set before refilling the diff fluid and driving the vehicle. I don't know enough about this stuff to know if this is the real deal.

 

[Kickaxe07]

Dealership contacted me yesterday. They are ordering another housing and replacing that again. Im at a loss.
So at this point they have replaced the axle twice and this will be the 2nd housing.

 

[sdk131]

Dealership contacted me yesterday. They are ordering another housing and replacing that again. Im at a loss.
So at this point they have replaced the axle twice and this will be the 2nd housing.

wow...just ....wow....the saga continues. Why am I starting to feel like this is just a calculated campaign to just get folks patched up and limping along until they are out oif warranty.

 

[Kickaxe07]

wow...just ....wow....the saga continues. Why am I starting to feel like this is just a calculated campaign to just get folks patched up and limping along until they are out oif warranty.

I have contacted a lawyer. That's the main thing Im worried about, when the warranty runs out am I gonna be doing a oil change and axles every 5k miles. For a 50 thousand dollar vehicle this is ridiculous.

 

[sdk131]

I have contacted a lawyer. That's the main thing Im worried about, when the warranty runs out am I gonna be doing a oil change and axles every 5k miles. For a 50 thousand dollar vehicle this is ridiculous.

Don't blame you at all. I am on repair #2 (just rolled over 6,000 miles and one year of ownership) and it is dry at the moment, but I am absolutely expecting it to fail again.

 

[ZSum73]

Dealership contacted me yesterday. They are ordering another housing and replacing that again. Im at a loss.
So at this point they have replaced the axle twice and this will be the 2nd housing.

With each housing are you getting new axles too? I'm told the axle units when removed destroy the seal so the unit can not be reused. So if they replace the housing you must get new axles on both sides. Pretty expensive for them to not want to figure this out in a hurry.

 

[ZSum73]

Don't blame you at all. I am on repair #2 (just rolled over 6,000 miles and one year of ownership) and it is dry at the moment, but I am absolutely expecting it to fail again.

I just had #2 done Monday. Cleaned it up today with degreaser and power washer. Dry for now, let's see, it only took 3 weeks for the last one to leak again. From all the brakleen they used to clean up diff fluid the aluminum backing plate that the housing is attached to looks 5 years older than the left side with powdering oxidation all on the surface.

 

[Kickaxe07]

So after talking to them today, I found out that when they replaced the housing the first time, they were supposed to get a housing with the axles already installed. But there was a several month backorder on it, so FCA sent them an entire housing with out the axles. They just put my axles in the new housing. The one ordered yesterday will be the housing with axles installed. I don't know how removing the axles would destroy the seal. But I am no expert.

 

[Kickaxe07]

I love my dealership, don't get me wrong, they do a great job and have taken great care of me through all of this. I spoke directly to the tech today that did the work and he said there is a tsb for this issue that mentions porous metal surfaces and they changed the sealant prep with a new product. He also said that it needs and is required to dry and set before refilling the diff fluid and driving the vehicle. I don't know enough about this stuff to know if this is the real deal.

While I was there today I also showed them this, and looked and they didn't see this TSB your dealership was talking about

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I don't know how removing the axles would destroy the seal.

The seal is on the axle, then the bearing is pressed on. Removing the axle pulls the seal out by the bearing shoving it out. It likely distorts it at the very least.
It's possible to remove bearing, remove seal, put on new seal and bearing and put it all back in but that's more labor, more time, and few shops these days deal with individual parts.
They'd not want to put the original bearing back on because the risk is high of damage taking it off and going back on with it.

This is an earlier Dana 44 from a Grand Cherokee, but it's the same concept.
Retainer goes on, then seal, then bearing is pressed on, then a retainer collar is pressed on.

Note this seal type seals against the housing by those rubber ribs on the circumference of the seal. EXTREMELY unlikely to leak unless it's damaged going in. A bit of lube on the outside of this type of seal keeps it safe going in. Never use lube on the seals with the metal outer shell and red sealer on the outer rim or circumference of the seal!

 

[Kickaxe07]

The seal is on the axle, then the bearing is pressed on. Removing the axle pulls the seal out by the bearing shoving it out. It likely distorts it at the very least.
It's possible to remove bearing, remove seal, put on new seal and bearing and put it all back in but that's more labor, more time, and few shops these days deal with individual parts.
They'd not want to put the original bearing back on because the risk is high of damage taking it off and going back on with it.

This is an earlier Dana 44 from a Grand Cherokee, but it's the same concept.
Retainer goes on, then seal, then bearing is pressed on, then a retainer collar is pressed on.

Note this seal type seals against the housing by those rubber ribs on the circumference of the seal. EXTREMELY unlikely to leak unless it's damaged going in. A bit of lube on the outside of this type of seal keeps it safe going in. Never use lube on the seals with the metal outer shell and red sealer on the outer rim or circumference of the seal!

Like I said, I'm no expert! But now I know! Lol

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Like I said, I'm no expert! But now I know! Lol

As a machinist you'll get it really easy.
Doesn't hurt for people to know what's going on with things like this leak stuff, the more you know, the better equipped you are to tell when things are right - or not.

 

[Vtur]

Im off to the dealer to pick up my truck after the 2nd axle repair. The dealer told me that Chrysler is now putting a new sealant on the axle seals that that is a working sealant for metal to metal contacts that should take care of the leak issue I'm not sure whether to believe this or not or it's just a bunch of bullshit to quiet me out until it leaks again

Mine isn't leaking but adding sealant (Hondabond) was exactly what i did when i regeared mine truck a few weeks ago. It's a floating oring/seal type, kinda hard to explain. But by design, the axle flange serve 3 purposes. It prevents the axle from popping out, brake caliper adapter from spinning and also pressing in the seal while torqing down the 4 flange nuts. So it's very important to tights it down in criss-cross pattern and little at a time, to avoid pitching the seal.

What i don't like is that, the flange is made out of 3/16 stamped steel. It tend to bend/deform between the 4 studs.

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