Changed oil today on our 06 Sport, and found that BOTH front axle seals are leaking! Since I don't have a garage right now, I'll probably end up taking it in for this. Does anyone know about how many hours this job will take? Thanks in advance.
front axle seals
- Thread starter belvedere
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tjkj2002
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You really don't want to know,but if you must your probably looking at 5-7 labor hours plus parts.Lots of disassembley is required.
J-Thompson
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do they really need to be replaced right now?
is it under warranty?
if it is under warranty they just get it done
it is between free ,3/36, and $100 ,7/70
if it is no longer under warranty ,over 3/36 or you are the second owner
then I would hold out until it drips unless you have the money
If they are just wet but no dripping then welcome to the dana/chrysler diff world
if they are dripping of the oil is low then have them replaced
They will not just let go and start spewing out oil you will see it getting worse
The dealer should cover it if it is under warranty no questions
we just had a CV shaft replaced under warranty
and we are lifted and there are a few trail scars under the Jeep
they asked no questions about it
oil changed and CV replaced = $100 ,free oil change deal we still have some left from when we got the Jeep in '03
Ok then, the passenger side seal is $21.50 and about 1+1/2 hours labor (approx-maybe 2 hours at the most for the right side) times the hourly labor rate. That is the harder one to change. I don't know about the drivers side for sure but the seal is probably the same price but I think it is easier to get at so maybe less labor cost. Depends on the hourly labor rate in your area. That is a real rough estimate.
If you are out of warranty anyway, check with local shops.
Dave
tjkj2002
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Not sure on the seal prices but the shop I work at charges 2.5 hours labor for the R&I of the drivers side CV axle(I know I looked it up last week for another job) on a KJ,so it would be about the same as the passenger side for a total of 5 hours then you got the seal replacement labor which would be at least .5 hours per side + parts.
Yea, that is what the dealer charged me. The total bill was right around $200 if I remember right. But I know everyone's labor rate is different. Mine started leaking during the coldest week in the winter and I had an off road trip scheduled for that weekend and I didn't want to have a problem on the trail stressing it so I took it in. (then the trip was cancelled right after I got it fixed). They probably gave me a break on the labor time as I am in there for parts sometimes.
Dave
Powerslave
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This seems to be a problem with these vehicles, huh? My passenger side axle seal is leaking... I hope this isn't an epidemic...
tjkj2002
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Mine has never leaked in 7 years,the key is to keep it clean.After a day of wheeling the 1st place I go is the car wash and I avoid mud like the black plague now since it is the #1 reason CV boots,bushings,and seals get ruined.
I'm sure that is definitely a contributing factor, and keeping it clean has got to help. However, the seals do seem to be a possible weak point...
We got our 06 in Oct 08, with 73k miles. It had been driven by a salesman (as you can tell by the miles!) here in SD, so while it saw some snow, I'm sure it was never taken off-road. Since I don't have a garage, and the weather was getting cold, I took it to the dealer to have the block heater installed. While there, I asked them to check the diffs and t-case for fluid level. Everything was good. (I know and trust the mechanic that worked on it.)
Now, only 2k miles later, both seals are leaking. I guess it's just something to watch for on the KJ.
tjkj2002
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The D30A's in the '02 KJ's actually got bearings at the front diff outputs,behind the seals,and newer years they went cheap and you now only get plastic bushings that will wear out faster and can cause seal leaks also.
yellocoyote
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I had to replace my passenger side axle seal about a month ago, but I think it's because I wasn't overly careful when installing the cv joint on that side... I think I may have torn the seal. Fixed the seal myself with a friend and some time. Just a PITA disassembling everything.
I'm curious how long it actually takes vs what the shop charges the customer. I just got Libby back from the local dealer, and they charged 2.4 hours labor to replace both front axle seals. $172.80 labor ($72/hrx2.4) + 36.40 parts (18.20/sealx2) + 12.55 tax = $221.75. They said the bushings were fine. Glad to be back in business!
