Good work, keep at it.
Go slow installing that seal. Those have springs in the backside of them, to hold the seal against the shaft. Those are easy to dislodge while installing, if you miss and hit the inner portion a little. Get a good fitting tool to install it, and make it go in evenly.
Hey, Many Thanks Don!
As it turned out, "Yanking my Shaft" turned out to be quick & easy....(NOT the way to go as a Real Man)...... :^)
However, The Differential seal for the "inner" that I shared earlier turned out to be the Wrong seal, (I needed a larger diameter).
Once I pulled the CV shaft out... (Still looking prime after 300K.... How could That be???), I realized the Seal that I needed was about another inch in diameter than the seal I copped from NAPA, (back in August, once "plans" started taking shape). Outer "dirt seals" were correct though and I've got that outer side install procedure down Pat, thanks to y'all's advice.
I took this picture, (attached, couldn't "insert" here), of the "inboard sides" of the wrong seal, next to the correct seal, (That I packed with heavy grease), and the "spring" from the old seal, so that others can get a view of what all the fuss is about with that "spring that may get tossed into the differential", if not stayed by the lube. (Yeah, I had to run out to the Advance store 3 miles away, but Jeep made it o.k..... & next to the Advance, is a beer store that sells 16oz. PBR Tall Boys). :^) Toughest part of the whole "side track" of doing this seal while I was in there.... Installing the New Seal..... YIKES!!!! Sucker would NOT line up...... 2 Hrs. Later, I caught an edge, and used a Ball Joint press adapter to hammer the dog~gone thing in at least partially, to then work around the edges and finally get it flush. Heavy Grease internally, to keep that "spring" where it should be, and synthetic lube externally, to reinstall the CX axle back smoothly...... And a wee bit of blood from smashing my thumb with a hammer...... #JustBecauseIcould
Earlier, before my reply/thanks post this afternoon, I gave it all a good look, and topped off the Differential oil and it took about a pint, (75-90 gear oil). It was that much fluid going in that made me realize that I'd better address this issue now, while I had it all apart. Sure, probably added another 5 hours to the project, but it'll pay off in the long run, without additional slop being tossed about underneath from the differential. I don't believe that I ever ran the differential dry, (topped it off about 6 months ago when noticing the "slop" while doing an oil change, and I was still studying all this great info, prepping for the Ball joint & Hub replacements. (Left Front Hub was Horribly noisy for at least 2 years, and was obviously TOAST when I looked at it's inner side once removed Sunday). (I drove it like toast for about 20K....... Frightening what could have happened..........
Darkness ensued this evening but, just need to reinstall the knuckle, tying it to the new Hub, Upper control arm, (with upper ball joint....which was also TOAST), lower ball joint and new outer tie rod end. (Are there "inner" tie rod ends???)(just seems to be some shaft that crosses from side to side, covered with "cv boot" type of rubber).
I marked all Caster/Camber lobes prior to removal of the upper control arm, and reset to those marks upon reinstallation. However, with my last alignment having been about 3 years ago, as things were already wearing thin, I'll take it over for an Alignment by noon tomorrow. I think the guys there will be relieved that all the bolts and nuts are "free", from being rusty, unmovable bindings, and hopefully they will give me a true alignment. (I've always been suspect previously that my alignments were fudged, as a LOT of these fasteners required major torque, freeze~out and some torch action to free during this project).
Other Items I also addressed: Cleaned and lubed brake caliper glide pins, new (anti) sway bar links & bar bushings, new shocks, extra lube points, (control arm/upper ball joints came with NO lube points.... Come on NAPA).....????
300K+ miles on this baby.... (Odometer plastic drive gear disintegrated years ago around 235K, then drove it another 6 years.....)(Ordered replacement after reading all about it HERE on Explorer Forums) Odometer Now says 285K.....
****, that's a Lot of typing......"Garçon, more PBR por favour"....... THANKS!!!!!