How hard to reseal/boot front axle??

[Harleighguy]

So just HOW hard is it to reseal and reboot the front axle?? My drivers side axle seal has begun leaking and I want to get a feel for what it's going to take to fix it. I will be doing one side then the other, but not in the same day. I work as a tech for Honda and will be doing it at work.

 

[mikey]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/8460-front-axle-seals-boots-stepxstep.html

great write up

 

[Clay James]

I had to do both sides twice. It's really difficult to get the seal retainers out with a slide hammer. It's easier to get them out if you take both sides off and just knock it out with a pipe from the other side. Other than that it's not too difficult. That writeup mikey linked is the guide I used.

 

[gimpyrobb]

It will be a couple hrs per side.

 

[Recovry4x4]

My record is 75 minutes for one side. I have some experience though! Few hours is accurate.

 

[jasonjc]

Make sure you put some sealer on the retainer when you put it back in. I also find it easyer to use a pipe from the other side to knock out the retainer.

 

[Chevracer87]

Just did mine last week. It's not a difficult job if you have the correct tools but putting the boot on is a two person job! You will need the extra hands while tightening the large clamp down

 

[Clay James]

Just did mine last week. It's not a difficult job if you have the correct tools but putting the boot on is a two person job! You will need the extra hands while tightening the large clamp down

I've done 4 by myself now Not super easy though, it slips back off a lot. I found using an electric drill to put the bolts back in makes it a lot easier.

 

[jasonjc]

Clean! clean! the grove and the boots will stay on much better.

 

[DieselBob]

Clean! clean! the grove and the boots will stay on much better.

Did mine last summer and didn't have an issue doing it my self. I cleaned the grove on the axle housing, steering knuckle and the edge of the boot with brake kleen and didn't have a problem with the boot coming off while I tightened the clamp.

 

[Heavysteven]

first time took me 6 hours with help from a friend. It the cleaning that took some time.

The step by step link is great

 

[Tlauden]

Wow, excellent write up in that link! Sadly I think I might have to tackle this project, grease/ oil like substance is leaking from my driver front and its not brake fluid...

 

[big1096]

I just finished both sides. It's quite a task, but the stepXstep guide is a great help. Make sure you take plenty of time getting things clean, and have plenty of clean up materials to do it! I must have pulled five pounds of nasty, old grease out of there.

 

[paulfarber]

Unless you have differential fluid leaking out DON'T PULL THE HUB, use the zippered boots (they work fine) and be done in about an hour.

When did 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' become bad advice?

Nothing in the hub pull down will be found that cannot be diagnosed without pulling it apart.

I think the issues that people had with zippered boots are self induced (not cleaning, rips, rings popping off). Nick a seal with the axle on reassembly and you get to do it all over again.. and spend even more money on something that wasn't even broke to begin with.

And do you have a torque wrench rated to torque those bolts? I don't. What about a hub socket? New outer seal? A new tub of grease (the grease in my hub was still good, not caked up.... why replace good grease with good grease?) Money down the drain.

Unless you are simply bent on becoming a member of the 'i don't use no stinking zippered boot' club.. get a zippered boot, put it on and drive your truck.

I have about 50 miles and 3 weeks on my front drivers side zippered boot.. has not ripped, torn, popped off, leaked... its just there.. being all boot like.

 

[big1096]

Indeed, if it's not broke, don't fix it. Mine was broke... I fixed it.

If you have axle fluid leaking from your boots, you likely have it in places it shouldn't be.

 

[jasonjc]

The OP clearly states that the axle seal is leaking!!!! So he has too take the hub off.


And what " those bolts" have this great torque that can't be torqued????????

If stuff is leaking out of the boots, it means it gotten to the wheel brearing too. If not when was the last time the wheel brearing were repacked?

If you want to do it half a$$ just use duct tape. But don't go preaching too every one else too do it your way.

 

[Heavysteven]

There a lot of important stuff in the hub then just the boot. I say pull the pack the bearings, replace the seals, inspect the brake, clean the kingpins.....etc PCMS

Just saying

 

[Heavysteven]

I got so pissed off with my yellow silicon boot yesterday I took the box cutter to it. I'm done with solid boots. What a pita these boots are.

 

[powerhouseduece]

I haven't had good luck with any boots other then the nos zipper boots. One thing I found out that helps is go to harbor fright and get one of them little parts washes and pumps. Then stick the parts washer under the hub your working on and clean as you pull it apart. As I take the bolts out I let them fall into the parts tank to soak.

Before I did it this way I just used 5 gallon buckets. You can slide the hub off the spindle and set it into the open end of the bucket. That way when your spraying the wheel bearings and races out with cleaner, it all falls right into the bucket. Also help because your not trying to work on the ground, don't want to hurt my young back this soon.

 

[treeguy]

I've done 3 zipper styles and it looks like I'm headed twards number 4. My truck came with solid boots that were both torn so I replaced both of them with the zipper style. Then I thought, great, I'm good to go in this department, don't have to worry about these things for a while. Well don't cha know that about six months of regular in town driving one grew a hole. Upon examining the rubber is seems like it stretch cracked. The rubber was still pliable and not dry and hard. There were also no objects protruding into the rubber. So I replaced it with another zipper boot. Now, maybe another six months the other one that I had replaced (so one year later) looks wierd. These boots (out of the box) feel thick and have a certain flex resistance. Well, on the bottom inside were the grease builds up there feels like thinning and a very flexible area. It feels like the rubber has thinned and when you squeeze it with the grease inside feels like squeezing a water balloon filled with jello. There are also the same tearing marks like before, not physical ripping but tearing from flexing fatigue.

Sorry to be winded, but I think this boot set up skucs and don't know what to do for a long term repair that will last. And even with the zipper these things are not the most fun thing to replace.