Waggy D44 Axle inner seal

[chad551]

My axle is now leaking after I install my new inner axles. I may have just knocked it loose when I slid the new inner axle in, however in the event it is bad i wanted to have 1 available if i need to replace it. Does anyone know what it is? Does NS2300 sound correct?

 

[james t]

I think all front D44 inner axle seals are the same, but dont quote me on that.

You probably tore it when you reinstalled the new shafts. Its easy to do. Rule of thumb is keep the shaft as straight as possible and gently try to line it up once you get to the seal area. It probably didnt pop out... if it did then it was never seated properly. As you know, torn or popped out either way it means pulling the carrier. One of those "$300 labor for a $4 part" kind of deals. :

 

[IZwack]

Yeah I think they are pretty much all the same, so I'd go to a parts store and just ask for any vehicle with the solid axle D44.

 

[RockRanger]

The ones that came with my install kit were different then the ones in my axle. I took an old one to napa and they matched it right up. Not sure on the part number.

 

[chad551]

I am just hoping i can replace it without pulling the axle. I had to use a case spreader when I put in the ARB.

All this B.S. happens 1 week before I leave to Moab and the Colorado run.

 

[james t]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're gonna have to pull the carrier no matter what if the seal is leaking.

 

[chad551]

I know the carrier has to come out, but just dont want to have to pull the entire axle out of the vehicle.

 

[IZwack]

I forget who it is, but someone out there makes an outer axle shaft seal for the Dana 44. It goes towards the end of the tube so that basically you have an inner seal and an outer seal. I'll try to search for it, but installing it would take a lot less time than replacing the inner.

EDIT - here is one from Mad4wd: http://mad4wd.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=98

 

[james t]

I know the carrier has to come out, but just dont want to have to pull the entire axle out of the vehicle.

Oh, well in that case, its pretty easy to do in vehicle... i usually use a pry bar and a hammer to pop the carrier out- never had one i needed a case spreader on.

I would look into the seals IZ posted... ive never seen them but ive heard of them and if they work as claimed then they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Drive it in from the outside and be done with it.

 

[chad551]

I would think using those you would need to make sure your axle tubes are free from rust and junk. But just to clarify and show my ignorance here, those seals that IZ listed would just be an added seal to help make the inners last longer.

 

[james t]

I dont know much about them- my understanding is you use them with a leaky stock seal and they keep the oil in (the tube anyway) and keep mud and gunk out.

 

[RockRanger]

I wouldn't use the seals Izwack posted instead of the inners. If you run in a bunch of mud they would be good to keep the axle tube clean though. They would help keep crap getting pushed into the diff when you install axle shafts.