Leaking (blowing!) diff fluid. Hole in axle housing?

[Rusty PW]

Damn - 50 years of doing those and you just now tell me about that? All those calories wasted.


AMC had a loong handle with an insert that went into one end and bolted to the yoke - the center was open for a large socket to fit the pinion nut.
The handle of that tool (made by Kent-Moore) was long and you could either hold it (yeah, right) or let it hit against something solid as a stop while you worked the pinion nut on.

BIG ASS pipe wrench on the yoke.

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[ShadowsPapa]

BIG ASS pipe wrench on the yoke.

And now you know why I have a very long, large, pipe wrench stashed under one of my benches. It will wedge up against the floor or a control arm or whatever.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

Sorry, I might have missed a beat. Crush sleeve on Dana 44? Do the new 44s have crush sleeves? I haven't done one since my TJ days. I don't remember crush sleeves on 44s. 30's yes, not 44s.

Maybe I am losing it.

I would pop out the seal and replace. To heck with crush sleeve and breaker bars. Are you going to recheck R&P mesh? Do it 100 percent with a full diff rebuild? I would pop out the seal and replace only the seal. Torque it to +/- 150 ft lbs and call it good.

But an old man can learn if there is a crush sleeve on a 44.

Thanks.

Be well. jeep on.

Eric

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sorry, I might have missed a beat. Crush sleeve on Dana 44? Do the new 44s have crush sleeves? I haven't done one since my TJ days. I don't remember crush sleeves on 44s. 30's yes, not 44s.

Maybe I am losing it.

I would pop out the seal and replace. To heck with crush sleeve and breaker bars. Are you going to recheck R&P mesh? Do it 100 percent with a full diff rebuild? I would pop out the seal and replace only the seal. Torque it to +/- 150 ft lbs and call it good.

But an old man can learn if there is a crush sleeve on a 44.

Thanks.

Be well. jeep on.

Eric

Just torque? You don't set pinion bearing preload?

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

Just torque? You don't set pinion bearing preload?

Ah, so they went crush sleeve on 44s. I just googled it. Thank you @ShadowsPapa

In my experience, You can't set full 100 percent pinion bearing preload without a full diff rebuild includind ring access.

Pinion seal replace has always been a "wing it" torque, especially with a crush sleeve. If you bust it deeper, all hell will come down. LOL

 

[Rusty PW]

And now you know why I have a very long, large, pipe wrench stashed under one of my benches. It will wedge up against the floor or a control arm or whatever.

Exactly.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ah, so they went crush sleeve on 44s. I just googled it. Thank you @ShadowsPapa

In my experience, You can't set full 100 percent pinion bearing preload without a full diff rebuild includind ring access.

Pinion seal replace has always been a "wing it" torque, especially with a crush sleeve. If you bust it deeper, all hell will come down. LOL

One thing he can do is check the combined preload before he actually pulls the pinion nut and yoke off................

I've run into situations where I found the pinion bearings were bad - leading to the seal leaking.
For those, I pull the axles, pull the carrier out, replace the pinion bearings, set pinion preload and set the carrier back in as it was removed.
I'd have to say - over the years, there's been a lot of "it depends". I take them as they come.
For one of the last ones I did, I was really glad I DID pull the axles and the carrier - that's how I found a bad carrier bearing even though the differential was totally quiet under all conditions.
The leaking seal led me to iffy (not bad, but iffy) pinion bearings, which led me to bad (yeah, bad) carrier bearings.
Others, it's been new seal. And yes, I have done the seal without pulling out anything else at all.

 

[Stan H]

Thanks. I’m going to call my parts guy to see if they have the seal and crush sleeve in stock.

Haven’t watched this yet, but will today.

I have replaced them( just the seal) on other trucks before when I had zero shake and no vibration . I never had an issue. One was a Dana 60 and another a Ford 1/2 ton.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

I have replaced them( just the seal) on other trucks before when I had zero shake and no vibration . I never had an issue. One was a Dana 60 and another a Ford 1/2 ton.

Exactly. My point was: don't mess with the crush sleeve. That is a whole bag of worms.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That is a whole bag of worms.

Why?
It's not a big deal, really.
It can be done either way, but I prefer covering all bases myself. some just like swapping in a seal and moving on, assuming.
I "trust but verify".
I suppose it's personal preference, training, and so on. I worked in production shops, take zero chances, no come-backs.
It can be done however you prefer, I guess.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

One thing he can do is check the combined preload before he actually pulls the pinion nut and yoke off................

I've run into situations where I found the pinion bearings were bad - leading to the seal leaking.
For those, I pull the axles, pull the carrier out, replace the pinion bearings, set pinion preload and set the carrier back in as it was removed.
I'd have to say - over the years, there's been a lot of "it depends". I take them as they come.
For one of the last ones I did, I was really glad I DID pull the axles and the carrier - that's how I found a bad carrier bearing even though the differential was totally quiet under all conditions.
The leaking seal led me to iffy (not bad, but iffy) pinion bearings, which led me to bad (yeah, bad) carrier bearings.
Others, it's been new seal. And yes, I have done the seal without pulling out anything else at all.

Could be the pinion bearings are toast. OP just wants to stop a leak,,, I think. One seal is cheap, and it may fix it. The price gets expensive real fast after that if the leak comes back.

 

[Stan H]

Sorry, I might have missed a beat. Crush sleeve on Dana 44? Do the new 44s have crush sleeves? I haven't done one since my TJ days. I don't remember crush sleeves on 44s. 30's yes, not 44s.

Maybe I am losing it.

I would pop out the seal and replace. To heck with crush sleeve and breaker bars. Are you going to recheck R&P mesh? Do it 100 percent with a full diff rebuild? I would pop out the seal and replace only the seal. Torque it to +/- 150 ft lbs and call it good.

But an old man can learn if there is a crush sleeve on a 44.

Thanks.

Be well. jeep on.

Eric

I may be in the wrong but I am joining you on this because I have done exactly what your saying . If no vibration and no shake etc.. I usually pop it out and replace it. Tighten yoke back on drive shaft annnnnnd....... away We go !!

Okay let the melee begin.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

Why?
It's not a big deal, really.
It can be done either way, but I prefer covering all bases myself. some just like swapping in a seal and moving on, assuming.
I "trust but verify".
I suppose it's personal preference, training, and so on. I worked in production shops, take zero chances, no come-backs.
It can be done however you prefer, I guess.

As I posted same time as you. OP wants to stop a leak.

He may not be as OCD or a perfectionist as you or me.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

OP just wants to stop a leak,,, I think.

With some miles on it, and knowing that these bearings have a bad reputation, on mine, it would get the full treatment. I suspect he's got 60-some thou on it. Some wear and tear with his use.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Seals on the outside . Skip to 19:20 seconds . This is from a regear video but it is a Gladiator axle thats why I chose this video

Starting to watch now. Thanks. Seal and crush washer waiting for me to pickup tomorrow.

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