Front diff leaks? (1 Viewer)

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Slide under the truck and grab the inner joint by both hands and pres it in. I've done it and it worked. You are not alone here!
 
So, any clever tricks to pop her in without unnecessary disassembly if things. If I just drop upper ball joint maybe I can pivot it in all the way?

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I've use a brass drift. Same as FMS shows to pound out, but pound in instead. Just make sure press in as far as you can first getting splines aligned and meshed and shaft in line.
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I hope you used a new inner snap ring during install as required by proper procedure.
 
Proper fill procedure. Is to fill until gear lube start to flows out fill plug hole. Then wait 15 minutes or take a short drive. Then come back and add more until if flows out fill plug hole. Let it flow out hole until a slow drip or stops dripping. Install new gasket/washer and torque fill plug to 36ft-lbf..

Note:
Make sure vehicle level.
 
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Thanks for the responses and suggestions yesterday. I was a bit steamed and not in the right frame of mind to mess with it, so once I finish my coffee here I'll give it a another go. Hoping for much success.
 
I've use a brass drift. Same as FMS shows to pound out, but pound in instead. Just make sure press in as far as you can first getting splines aligned and meshed and shaft in line.
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I hope you used a new inner snap ring during install as required by proper procedure.
So I raised lower control arm with a bottle jack to position cv parallel to the floor, then used long pry bar and brass drift to tap it in. Much success! Just need to top off diff fluid now to verify much success. As always, thanks everyone.

Update: It's not leaking, going to bleed the brakes, put the tires on and take it for a spin.
 
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So after a test run there is a quarter size drip on the ground under where the cv enter diff tube. So bummed, guess I’ll order new seal to be on the safe side and disassemble reassemble.
 
My plan is to reuse the seal (it's new), reposition it and put a swipe of black rtv around the edge, and set it flush with lip. Has anyone used rtv on this seal in the past to get it set and not leaking? Is this a really bad idea? I also intend to either steel wool or scotch brite the mating surface of the diff tube where the seal is pressed in.
 
My plan is to reuse the seal (it's new), reposition it and put a swipe of black rtv around the edge, and set it flush with lip. Has anyone used rtv on this seal in the past to get it set and not leaking? Is this a really bad idea? I also intend to either steel wool or scotch brite the mating surface of the diff tube where the seal is pressed in.
First I would make sure inner lip of seal not damaged, Than confirm seal is flush and properly seated, if not I'd square it off.

The seal generally keeps area it seats in, very clean. I'd not use steel wool as it may get into diff. Usually I can chemically clean or just wipe.

I'd not use any RTV, FIPG or such glue. Procedure is to lube the outer lip of seal/or area seal fits in diff, with gear lube, then tap in seal. I use a piece of 3/4" X 1/2" X 3' oak stick. This allows me to tap gently around the seal until oak hits the solid surface of the diff, while comfortable sitting 3 feet away. I then eyeball and feel seal with finger, to make sure seal is flush/square with diff.

Final is to grease the inner lip of seal and be very care as installing FDS, so too not knock seal out of alignment.
 
First I would make sure inner lip of seal not damaged, Than confirm seal is flush and properly seated, if not I'd square it off.

The seal generally keeps area it seats in, very clean. I'd not use steel wool as it may get into diff. Usually I can chemically clean or just wipe.

I'd not use any RTV, FIPG or such glue. Procedure is to lube the outer lip of seal/or area seal fits in diff, with gear lube, then tap in seal. I use a piece of 3/4" X 1/2" X 3' oak stick. This allows me to tap gently around the seal until oak hits the solid surface of the diff, while comfortable sitting 3 feet away. I then eyeball and feel seal with finger, to make sure seal is flush/square with diff.

Final is to grease the inner lip of seal and be very care as installing FDS, so too not knock seal out of alignment.
Thanks. I used the method you outlined above. I had wiped the diff tube with a clean rag, lubed seal, and tapped in using the wood handle of my rubber malet, flush with inner rim. I must have bumped it out of place when inserting the cv axle is all I can figure. The only reason I'm inclined to use black rtv, sparingly, is it's a lot of work to go in, redo, and only find it is still leaking. I suppose I can fill diff after reinstall of cv to very if it's leaking at first.
 
Wood handle of mallet is to large. The 1/2"X3/4" long piece of oak fit between seals lip that protrudes from seal and the outer part of diff. This way you'll not damage lip of seal. Also as oak hits inner recess of diff, it seat seal flush.

Here's one I'll be replacing later today. See how my oak stick fit between lip of seal and into recess of diff. I've no idea what the reddish around seal is. Possible transfer case FIPG or may be a red grease. But the FSM is clear use gear lube, works!
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Diff LH seal (2).JPG
 
So after a test run there is a quarter size drip on the ground under where the cv enter diff tube. So bummed, guess I’ll order new seal to be on the safe side and disassemble reassemble.

Check the CV shaft - there are 2 parts of the sealing system. If the differential casing is gouged where the seal sits, that is a third item to check (outside of seal).

A new seal set to the correct depth will not fix this:

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Well damn, I've still got a small leak on the passenger side, and it looks like my driver side may be slowly leaking as well. Nothing on the driveway but the diff itself was wet, and a small drip on the passenger side axle.


God, this is frustrating
 
Well damn, I've still got a small leak on the passenger side, and it looks like my driver side may be slowly leaking as well. Nothing on the driveway but the diff itself was wet, and a small drip on the passenger side axle.


God, this is frustrating
I am going to take another stab at this evening, new oil seal arrived yesterday just in case. The ps seems to be holding up fine. Based on the info shared, it just needs to be set so that the lip of the oil seal is flush with the diff tube. I hope this is the last time I have to pop the cv, it is getting tedious. I still have OME torsion bars to do, but I don't want to move on until this part is wrapped up. Good luck!
 
I am going to take another stab at this evening, new oil seal arrived yesterday just in case. The ps seems to be holding up fine. Based on the info shared, it just needs to be set so that the lip of the oil seal is flush with the diff tube. I hope this is the last time I have to pop the cv, it is getting tedious. I still have OME torsion bars to do, but I don't want to move on until this part is wrapped up. Good luck!

Are you using OEM seals? It should say "NOK" if it is factory.

Yes, don't get the seal too deep in. Just flush and check the seal is symmetrically inserted.
 
I am going to take another stab at this evening, new oil seal arrived yesterday just in case. The ps seems to be holding up fine. Based on the info shared, it just needs to be set so that the lip of the oil seal is flush with the diff tube. I hope this is the last time I have to pop the cv, it is getting tedious. I still have OME torsion bars to do, but I don't want to move on until this part is wrapped up. Good luck!
take some close up pictures of the seal before you remove it and post it. let's see if we can't identify the problem. especially how deep you installed it and the condition of the inner sealing surface to the axle shaft. should probably take a picture of the axle shaft itself too. maybe we can identify something
 
Need to disconnect lower shock bolt to free the cv fully. Looks like the bottom of the seal is pushed in a bit. Sorry for bad pics.

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So after some gentle prying I have the seal flush with inner lip. Just how finicky are these seals? I am having a beer and will go out and check to see if there is any diff oil seeping at the bottom of the seal. The replacement seal is from NAPA, and I’m hoping I don’t need to try it. Thebseal in there now is a new oem seal, I think it just got bumped out of place on original install.

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So after some gentle prying I have the seal flush with inner lip. Just how finicky are these seals? I am having a beer and will go out and check to see if there is any diff oil seeping at the bottom of the seal. The replacement seal is from NAPA, and I’m hoping I don’t need to try it. Thebseal in there now is a new oem seal, I think it just got bumped out of place on original install.

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I'm sorry if i missed it earlier, do you have oem CVs?
i don't see anything wrong from the detail of the photos. the camera flash washes out a lot of detail though. i can't really see the sealing surface if there is any damage. your previous pics seem to indicate you were using the quick method to remove shaft which is possible to damage seal as you try to remove and install axle. but i don't see anything obviously wrong.
again. take a pic of the CVs especially the sealing surface where the seal rides.

aftermarket CVs may cause leaking and there's nothing you can do because they're the wrong size on the sealing surface.
 
Just to update, mine seems to have stopped leaking completely now. I checked the fluid and it is full so hopefully I'm good. Maybe the seal finally seated itself properly or maybe the fluid was just runoff from filling the diff......fingers crossed
 

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