Axle seal leak, driver's front

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HoosierJeeper

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Noticed while doing an oil change and PS pump swap today that the front diff is leaking where the CV goes into it. What brand of seal is best? Rockauto has National, Timkin, Omix-ada, Mopar.

And it's the first thing you see when you take the CV out, it's right on the end of the tube, right? It's not recessed in like the passenger side one.
 

ltd02

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I'd need a pic. Not sure what it looks like. If it has a metal sleeve you can get to, I usually lightly hit the edge with a drift until it buckles and then maybe it'll release some.
 

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I thought about doing that (hitting around the outer ring, I drew an arrow) but was weary about that for fear of nicking the diff up.
 

ltd02

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That might be your only option. Unless you can drive a small chisel or screwdriver in the outer edge of the lip. I doubt you'll damage anything deep enough to cause a problem since it's the outer edge.
 

HoosierJeeper

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Got it out with a gasket scraper. Do I need to oil the new seal before installing it?
 

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That's what I did...lightly coated in gear oil. Here's to hoping for no leaks!
 

RenKJ

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I may do this in the spring if it wasn't bad joints causing my fluid release, either way seal is probably worn from it si may do either way, thanks for write up

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HoosierJeeper

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The old seal. Used a gasket scraper to pound around the edge as best I could, then to distort it and it popped out. Didn't mar the diff at all.
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Noticed something else. Shouldn't my KJ, being an 05, have a plastic bearing here and not metal? I've had it since 36k, 10 years now, so maybe it got replaced a long time ago? Or Jeep just used what they had.
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tjkj2002

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Noticed something else. Shouldn't my KJ, being an 05, have a plastic bearing here and not metal? I've had it since 36k, 10 years now, so maybe it got replaced a long time ago? Or Jeep just used what they had.
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The diff I ordered from the dealership with 4.10's was from a '05 VIN and swapped in my '02 had roller bearings and not the plastic bushings.
 

HoosierJeeper

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Maybe it's an 06 or 07 thing to have the plastic then. Someone on here, I think it was ptsb5a who did the original how to on this had plastic and his was 05. Who knows I guess.
 

HoosierJeeper

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It stayed clean all of yesterday and most of today, now there's a slight drip from it. Fawk! Anyone wanna wager that it's residual from oiling the seal and CV shaft or did I f it up?
 

RenKJ

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I had an experience where i had leakage being caused by lose /worn joints allowing movement angles that shouldn't have (i think) after joint replacement no more leak

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HoosierJeeper

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As in the CV axle was bad?

Mine is from July I think, so it's pretty new. Good idea though. I talked to my local car "wizard" and he said the string band (that coiled up metal piece) inside the seal probably got jarred since I didn't put grease behind it. Might give it another shot.
 

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