New rear CV axle, what is the rubber seal on the diff end?

[Breadfan209]

Tomorrow I'll be buttoning up the rear suspension of my 2003 Mountaineer. Its got a new diff, wheel bearings, and upper ca's

I decided with all this to go ahead and put in new CV axles too.

The drivers side one came with this rubber seal that the original didn't have.

I checked online and some of the axles for sale habe this, but the pass side one I bought doesn't.

What is it? Should I remove it? Install it with it on?

For ref, this has a non-LSD diff and no RSC.

Here is pics comparing the old and new, what should I do with this peice?

 

[lincolnshibuya]

that looks like a dust boot or seal.

 

[Breadfan209]

Yes, and the diff has new seals, but they are not like this seal. I feel like I should remove it...but cant figure out why its there. It feels pretty rigid too.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

if you put in the updated seal on the differential, you might need to remove that dust boot/seal otherwise it won't go in properly.
the updated seal has a dust boot built in.

 

[Breadfan209]

if you put in the updated seal on the differential, you might need to remove that dust boot/seal otherwise it won't go in properly.
the updated seal has a dust boot built in.

This may be it. The new diff is stated to have all the TSBs applied. I also notice the tsb for the seals references removal of the excluder seals.

The old diff had zero leaks at the axles. So perhaps the old diff had the seals updated per the tsb and that is why the axles i pulled didnt have anything on them. Got some service life unknowns on this truck for a good 100k of its life...

 

[Breadfan209]

Definitely is the excluder seal

Anyone got pics of the old style vs new style diff seals? I figure I will be pulling off the excluder seal since my new diff has all new seals Im assuming it the updated ones

 

[lincolnshibuya]

i took mine out..

what it was before (with the dust seal)

 

[Breadfan209]

Thanks!

I popped it off and installed. Now I hope the new diff has the updated seals. I guess if not it may leak prematurely? Ill keep an eye on it...its already back together at this point.

Thanks for your help and the pics!