Axle seal ring or just seal?

[N4SH]

Hey guys! New here but have been scouring this forum for awhile now. Maybe should have joined awhile ago but feel like now is a good time.

I have a leaking axle seal on the passenger side front. It looks as if the ring that maybe holds the sea or the seal it’s self has popped out of the axle and I’m kind of curious how easy/hard this is to either replace or press back in if possible. The leak is moderate I’d say. If I go for a long drive and park it there will be a small pool of diff fluid on the hub and on my tire. Checked the front diff and the level is still good so it may not be so bad yet but I suspect this WILL get worse as that ring is literally just sitting there since it can’t fall off.

Any insight on what this ring is actually called would help point me in the direction of ordering a new one if I need to and pressing it back in if it can be. Photo of the ring down below as wel as a photo of my TJ after getting some fresh cooper STT Pros today

 

[machoheadgames]

What’s in your picture is not what seals the axle shaft. What seals the axle shaft are inner seals down at the pumpkin. There should not ever be fluid in the front axle tubes at all. Remove those seals, pull the axle shafts and the carrier out, replace the seals in the diff and button it back up.

And if the level is still good while you are leaking….you probably are overfilled. Meaning you should make sure you aren’t overfilled because being overfilled will push the fluid past the seals in many cases.

 

[LONGJP2]

If that is an aftermarket axle tube seal (designed to keep stuff from going in), then it proves they don't work if it's letting stuff out.
That may have been someone's quick fix to hide the oil leak coming from the actual axle seal.

You could be overfilled if your front diff has an aftermarket cover with a raised fill plug.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

When pulling the axle shafts out to replace the leaking inner seals be sure to remove those stupid/useless aftermarket seals at the outer end of the axle tubes.

My present TJ came with them too, this is what I did with them.

 

[N4SH]

When pulling the axle shafts out to replace the leaking inner seals be sure to remove those stupid/useless aftermarket seals at the outer end of the axle tubes.

My present TJ came with them too, this is what I did with them.

View attachment 355916

I want to say they look like this but they seem a lot shorter on my TJ than what you have here. Assuming it’s the same thing. Are they just not needed at all? I didn’t do the front end work on it as I bought it with the after mart front end. I’ll keep checking if anymore comes out as far as I know after checking the level today with a makeshift dip stick, the level is just below the fill hole.

 

[N4SH]

If that is an aftermarket axle tube seal (designed to keep stuff from going in), then it proves they don't work if it's letting stuff out.
That may have been someone's quick fix to hide the oil leak coming from the actual axle seal.

You could be overfilled if your front diff has an aftermarket cover with a raised fill plug.

I do know the pumpkin is leaking ever so slightly and I’ll address this soon (maybe a pea sized drop every few days) Would make sense the diff was over filled and that’s why some is trying to find its way out through that seal. Now I’m curious if I should do the seal again myself on that side just to be sure.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I want to say they look like this but they seem a lot shorter on my TJ than what you have here. Assuming it’s the same thing. Are they just not needed at all? I didn’t do the front end work on it as I bought it with the after mart front end. I’ll keep checking if anymore comes out as far as I know after checking the level today with a makeshift dip stick, the level is just below the fill hole.

Not needed at all, that's why I removed mine and why the factory didn't install one there. Replace your inner seals.

 

[N4SH]

Not needed at all, that's why I removed mine and why the factory didn't install one there. Replace your inner seals.

Good deal. Will be coming off later today. And after more driving it has worked it’s way all the way loose so I can see that it is the same size. I don’t have anything else leaking from that seal either. Pretty sure the PO over filled the diff. Ordering seals and will be checking the level every couple of days if not every other day.

 

[machoheadgames]

Good deal. Will be coming off later today. And after more driving it has worked it’s way all the way loose so I can see that it is the same size. I don’t have anything else leaking from that seal either. Pretty sure the PO over filled the diff. Ordering seals and will be checking the level every couple of days if not every other day.

Get rid of the bullshit dipstick diff cover and go back to stock. That way you just fill it til it comes out of the hole on flat ground and call it good.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Good deal. Will be coming off later today. And after more driving it has worked it’s way all the way loose so I can see that it is the same size. I don’t have anything else leaking from that seal either. Pretty sure the PO over filled the diff. Ordering seals and will be checking the level every couple of days if not every other day.

Is N4SH your call sign and are you David?

 

[N4SH]

Get rid of the bullshit dipstick diff cover and go back to stock. That way you just fill it til it comes out of the hole on flat ground and call it good.

will definitely end up doing that. Do you recommend any specific inner seals as wel as diff fluid or are they all the same.

 

[N4SH]

Is N4SH your call sign and are you David?

Nash is my last name. I’ve been using N4SH as a username for everything online since I was a teen. Im in my 30s now. I don’t know if this David you speak of.

 

[machoheadgames]

will definitely end up doing that. Do you recommend any specific inner seals as wel as diff fluid or are they all the same.

Spicer stock seals are the best ones.

I run 85W-140 conventional gear oil for my fluid and I also use LubeLocker gaskets. I do not rock crawl, if I did I would not use Lubelockers.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

will definitely end up doing that. Do you recommend any specific inner seals as wel as diff fluid or are they all the same.

A LubeLocker gasket is highly favored by many, it doesn't require anything but a clean mounting surface to work well. If yours has RTV on its mounting surface use a putty knife followed by a wire brush to get both surfaces "surgically" clean so it won't leak if you go with the LubeLocker gasekt.

For your gear lube, it only needs to have a GL-5 rating and most do. The exact viscosity is not critical. 80W-90 or 75W-90 would be fine or a heavier viscosity like 80W-120 if you tow a small trailer would be a good idea. I'd go with a conventional GL-5, it has been shown that the gears inside the axle run cooler with a conventional than they do with a synthetic gear lube.

Gotcha on N4SH not being your ham radio call sign, I saw the 4 in it and and 4 is the number for callsigns where you live so I guessed wrongly it was you lol.

 

[N4SH]

A LubeLocker gasket is highly favored by many, it doesn't require anything but a clean mounting surface to work well. If yours has RTV on its mounting surface use a putty knife followed by a wire brush to get both surfaces "surgically" clean so it won't leak if you go with the LubeLocker gasekt.

For your gear lube, it only needs to have a GL-5 rating and most do. The exact viscosity is not critical. 80W-90 or 75W-90 would be fine or a heavier viscosity like 80W-120 if you tow a small trailer would be a good idea. I'd go with a conventional GL-5, it has been shown that the gears inside the axle run cooler with a conventional than they do with a synthetic gear lube.

Gotcha on N4SH not being your ham radio call sign, I saw the 4 in it and and 4 is the number for callsigns where you live so I guessed wrongly it was you lol.

Thanks for the info! I did read about GL-5 fluid so I picked some up. Passenger side has been leaking all day. Just checked the level again a moment ago and it hasn’t gone down in the slightest. So a little confused how that is but I’ll take it. Seals are getting replaced Thursday just having a hard time finding the right ones for a Dana 44. Links or pointers to the right place would be appreciated haha.

I had no idea about the call signs! I’m just a nerd/gamer/techy at heart so I like to use numbers in my usernames online

 

[machoheadgames]

Thanks for the info! I did read about GL-5 fluid so I picked some up. Passenger side has been leaking all day. Just checked the level again a moment ago and it hasn’t gone down in the slightest. So a little confused how that is but I’ll take it. Seals are getting replaced Thursday just having a hard time finding the right ones for a Dana 44. Links or pointers to the right place would be appreciated haha.

I had no idea about the call signs! I’m just a nerd/gamer/techy at heart so I like to use numbers in my usernames online

You don’t have a front dana 44. You need the seals for a front dana 30.

 

[N4SH]

oh. Good to know. I was under the impression this diff was a Dana 44 10 bolts and a slight muffin shape. Touché. Will order both sets just to be sure!

Thanks for the clarity!

 

[machoheadgames]

oh. Good to know. I was under the impression this diff was a Dana 44 10 bolts and a slight muffin shape. Touché. Will order both sets just to be sure!

Thanks for the clarity!

View attachment 356373

Ok never mind, didn’t realize they converted you. That’s def a Dana 44. Need to figure out if that’s a stock Rubicon Dana 44 or not.

 

[N4SH]

Ok never mind, didn’t realize they converted you. That’s def a Dana 44. Need to figure out if that’s a stock Rubicon Dana 44 or not.

yeah PO told me it was a dana 44 front diff but i took it at face value until i did my own research and it looked like it was to me so i assumed it was. Also has Detroit lockers. Im assuming id look for a stamp on it somewhere correct? maybe a serial number?

 

[machoheadgames]

yeah PO told me it was a dana 44 front diff but i took it at face value until i did my own research and it looked like it was to me so i assumed it was. Also has Detroit lockers. Im assuming Dd look for a stamp on it somewhere correct? maybe a serial number?

Take some pics of the brakes and steering knuckles.