[conebred]

Well after a couple of long weeks being parked in the back yard I got to changing my diff/tc fluids and noticed that the axle seal on the front diff is leaking pretty bad along with the CV boot seals. The boots were only slinging a minor amount of grease, so no major alarm.I found the threads on how to just repack grease and replace the factory clamps on the CV boots with hose clamps but cannot find any info on which type of grease. However the axle seal where axle joins the front diff is a real cause of concern. I am pretty sure that I need to replace the axle seal, and inspect other things that are related. The leak is on the drivers side.

So here are my questions;
-1) Which type of grease to fill CV boot ?
-2) How to change/repair seal on the differential?

The reason I am looking to do this repair myself is the fact I have 66k and don't think that the local dealer is just going "help" me. Especially since the one time I did take it to them they wouldn't even cover an obnoxiously loud idler pulley back when it had 51k! With that in mind I have decided to forgo the dealership and take on this repair myself. I am sure that the cause of the seal to fail was the 18 or so miles that it was driven after I swamped it (another hard learned lesson). My theory is that the water that did get inside turned into steam which pressurized the housing which blew out the seal since it was the weakest point. Scuba mods have been being added!!! Along with a grocery list of repairs to the interior (hence the weeks of being parked in the yard) So any help or link would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. I can post a pic of the leak if needed .

On a side note; can the two breathers on the starter be snorkled? I am thinking that the one on top can be but the one on the bottom is nothing more than a drain and should ave if nothing else, a simple 8"-12" tube facing straight down.

 

[cactusspine]

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/misc-technical-discussion/125147-driver-side-axle-seal.html

Does this help?

 

[conebred]

Thanks that answered some questions, can't believe I overlooked that one. Any pics of This: "flat head screw driver under truck at the base of the inner cv axle housing and try to snap it out of the housing It may take a little work
It's a c clip that just snaps the axle shaft out of a groove
the seal should be right in front of the housing it probably has to be pryed out"

 

[cactusspine]

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru.../50373-cv-axle-replacement-repair-w-pics.html Belly Docs Looks like he used a slide puller to break it free vs a screw driver.

 

[conebred]

Thanks again. Have been looking at that one myself. I didn,t see or I simply overlooked the part of replacing the seal though. I'll read it agian . Any thoughts on the grease or the starter Scuba?

 

[Wikid]

I actually came up with a really easy solution for popping out the axle . You need to make a trip to home depot and get a piece of cable about 3-4 ft. I think I got 1/8th or 3/16th.
Make an eyelet on each side .
Loop the cable around the cv axle near the inner seal make a noose and pull it tight . stretch the cable until it's outside the fenderwell. That's why I didn't have an exact length of the cable. Then use a 2 pound dead blow (hammer ) to fit the handle in the loop. Then you just have to use the dead blow like you would a slide hammer and give it a good pop.
The axle will just come right out .
I keep one of these in my tool bag for doing a trail cv swap out. It takes up no space and works really well . I have to look but maybe I have a few pics of my device

 

[Wikid]

Here's the tool
it worked great. No fuss no muss You just need to loop it at the narrow part of the cv shaft. It took may be a minute to pull the shaft with this

 

[conebred]

Wikid, that makes perfect sense ! Already getting my parts list for the "Toy Store". I love practical solutions through experience myself and going to give the "cable" method a try. Any guesstimation about the cost of the seal?

 

[Wikid]

I can't remember the cost probably from 10-25 b ucks
I just bought an outer spindle axle seal and it was about 25 bucks
it's a bigger seal too. Let me know if you need a walk through on any of this
I can pm you my number if you need it. Just let me know.
thanks
Don

 

[puppypappa]

Fantastic idea Wikid!!!!

I've been dreading my first axle removal, heard it's a real PITA.

Pup

 

[Wikid]

thanks
It really isn't too bad. You just need to take your time and enjoy learning, the inner workings, of your rig. Without experience it may take you 3-4 hours. I can change a cv axle out in about 1 hour now.

 

[T-Town FJ]

You should be able to pick up CV Joint grease at any of your local auto parts stores. It comes in little foil packets that each hold enough to do one side. Per the instructions on the back it's also important to clean out any of the old grease that is remaining as combining two different greases can cause them to fail. I cleaned and repacked mine a few months ago (the seals were leaking like crazy and the remaining grease inside was pretty much a grey sludge) and so far they are holding up just fine! Good luck! :bigthumb:

 

[conebred]

Thanks guys. Any tips on how to best remove the grease less just putting on some rubber gloves and diving in?

 

[Wikid]

I'm a little confused. The pictures I saw it looked like the axle seal was leaking, not the cv boot Are they both leaking? You don't need cv grease if the axle seal is leaking, just the dif lube which you would drain before you pull the axle. If I am mistaken here, I apologize in advance

 

[conebred]

The axle seal is definitely leaking right at the differntial. I will take a pic and post it in this afternoon, and the cv upper cv boot is slinging a little grease right at the small of the cone.It is not clicking and seems to be fine just greasy sludge @ the tie rods &boot. I read that this is not so uncommon and is an easy fix with some hose clamps and fresh grease. I guess that the main reason for this to occur is because of the lifts that we put on our rigs. I do not completely buy into that theory but .......... I am no mechanical engineer or off-road specialist, just an electrician.

 

[Wikid]

If you just have a very slight leak around the small area of the boot, I would just reclamp it and call it good. It seems like you would go through a lot of grease of you need to replace it .
JMHO

 

[epicxcrider]

Just re clamp it, should be fine. The weeping is from the lift because it forces the cv to be at a greater angle. The bad seal was probably from the water but not because it turned to steam, the breather would let this pressure off. Some dirt and water got in the seal.

 

[Jbell]

I have replace my axle seals a couple of times now. Getting the cv out is a challenge but Wikid has a great idea there!! I have used a slide hammer with a hose clamp like Bellydoc's instructions, worked well once, the last time I tried that we were swapping out a buddies cv's with longer one's for his LT kit and the dang hose clamp broke completely ripping the cv joint apart. What a mess that was! I have the best luck with a prybar and some "elbow grease". I will try out the cable trick next, it looks like the best solution so far.
The seal itself is kind of a pain to get seated back in the correct spot, I found a seal press tool at work that worked to apply pressure to the entire surface of it. You will never be able to press it in there one side at a time. I has to go in evenly or it won't go at all. You might be able to improvise a tool by finding something that is the same circumference as the seal and has handle for leverage and also tapping with a hammer. I will snap a pic of the tool that I use and post it up if you like?
I also believe that the bad seals come from water and mud chewing them up. The first time I had a leaking seal I brought it in for warranty and they told me my lift was causing the problem "putting extra strain on the seal". Which I guess may be possible but I said whatever and just fixed it my self.

 

[conebred]

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I haven't been driving it for almost 4 weeks and finally made time to do this this weekend 4/2. I feel pretty confident about this not so basic repair and it's from the experienced posters on this forum.