differential seals - leaking and replacement

[McSpeed]

Anybody from the been there done that files...my front and rear diffs are dripping gear oil out of the side seals.

What's the inside "shade tree" track on getting these fixed?

Drop the diffs? In the truck?

Can they be replaced with out any need to replace crush sleeves or reset the gears?

 

[MGKMartin]

I haven't done it yet, but according to my senior mechanic (37 years as a National Guard wheeled vehicle mechanic), it can be done in place. He is off tomorrow, but I can get more info Thursday if nobody else has responded by then.

 

[papakb]

Now's a good time to drain the hub and inspect inside. The hex drain plug can be a PITA to remove but everything else is easy. Both the side plates and the axle seals can be done in the vehicle. The job is pretty straightforward and can be done without removing it. Pull the wheel and remove the side plate. As I remember there's no gasket there, it's sealed with silicon sealer.

 

[McSpeed]

I'm going to do brake pads while it is apart. I suppose oil getting on all that isn't too good for them. I'm hearing the outer seal washer may be the problem. I get the odor of gear oil from the hot rotors after driving for a bit...and am seeing the drips on the bottom of the rotors and on the floor. Nothing major, but enough to drive me crazy.

 

[papakb]

It's highly unlikely that geared hub oil is getting out to the rotors so if your seeing it there it's probably differential oil. That's another story altogether. I've never pulled the diffs out but suspect you will need to drop them to service the output shaft seals.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

A0/A1’s spindle seals are a PITA, A2 can be done in the truck, they modified the hanger plate to allow for removal of the seal. The A0A1 has to have the hangar removed...fun.
easier to drop the diff. Seals will not be available locally

 

[155mm]

Every truck I worked on that said SFOR on the side, if it needed a diff seal, the bracket got 'modified' so I wouldnt have to drop the diff again for a seal. I am not saying it was pretty, but it was functional.

If its on the back, the diff brackets can be removed easier than the front, to get the front ones, you must pull the radiator and shroud.

 

[McSpeed]

Just dropped the front diff. It wasn’t terrible coming out. On the left side the little rubber washer thing was letting oil between the axle hub flange and diff. On the right side the main axle seal is bad. Going to give it all a good clean up and maybe some paint. I got new seals from a vendor. I’m not sure if they go in dry or need some sealant put around the metal outside ring or not. My seal driver won’t work because the axle stub is in the way.

Did not have to pull the radiator. It slid out once I took the bracket bolts out of the diff.

 

[155mm]

You only needed to pull rad and shroud if you were going to modify or remove bracket to save you time next time so you can change seals without dropping the whole diff.

 

[McSpeed]

Interesting, my brackets appear open enough the seal could have been changed with the diff in. It looks tricky though to get a clean straight shot at driving the side seals in.

I'm going to take advantage of this outage to clean it all up nice...maybe some fresh paint on a few parts...new pads...and back in.

I'm sweating the rear ones due to the parking brake cable extra stuff.

 

[McSpeed]

I admit, I don't understand how to get the torque application for the side yoke nuts from the online repair manual - can somebody point me in the right direction?