89 D 35 axle seal repair (non c-clip)

Has anyone changed the outer axle seal on a non c-clip d35?

I see that you just unbolt the backing plate and pull the axle out.

Will the seal be on the shaft or in the tube when axle is removed?

You replace the seal and bearing as a set. Most auto parts stores have a press and for a fee will remove and press on the new bearing for you. Some of the guys at an auto parts store aren't the sharpest needles in the sewing kit, measure the distance between the flange and bearing and make sure the distance is close to the same on your new bearing and/or they didn't put the seal on bassakwords. Often brake shops also do press on bearings.

If you just jack up one side of the rear axle, fairly high, you won't loose your gear oil. But if the wheel bearings are gone, chances are the carrier bearings may also be worn. Axle seals often fail because of loose axle bearings. Check the axle vent and make sure it isn't plugged shut with mud or something else. I've had axle seal seeps disappear after blowing through the axle/differential vent.

You also have to make sure the fluid you are seeing at the axle seal is gear oil and not brake fluid. A seeping rear wheel brake cylinder will fool you, drip down to the same area and is much more common than a failed axle seal in my experience.

It would be better easier just to replace the dana 35 with a Dana 44 or 8.25 out of a cherokee. Make sure you keep the same gears.

Yeah, its the axle seal seeping. Is there 2 seals on the axle ,1 out at the wheel flange side and 1 on the inside next to the bearing?

I have been thinking about a jy 8.25. What other parts do I need for a swap?

Driveshaft? Ebrake cables?

All you need is the axle, bolts right in.

scottmcneal said:

All you need is the axle, bolts right in.

Click to expand...

My experience was a little different. I had to get a different driveshaft because the nose of the 8.25 is a different length than the D35.

Also I had to swap the parking brake cables because the 8.25 I got was pre-1997 while the XJ I installed it on is a 2001.

Finally, don't forget to buy new U-bolts -- you don't want to reuse old ones. As I recall the 8.25 uses 3" U-bolts. All you need is the U-bolts and nuts -- the plates are slotted to accept either size.

One issue I had when shopping for U-bolts is finding ones which have interference-fit nuts -- nobody says what they are selling. And when I asked various online vendors they didn't know -- they just said what they showed in the description is what the manufacturer sent them. In other words the vendors I tried (including ones here on ) didn't know what they were selling. Not much in the way of value-add.

The swap went easily except for the problem of removing the clip that holds the rear brake hose to the hardline at the body. I made the mistake of bending the hardline to get it loose, and then had a devil of a time bending the hardline exactly right to have a stress-free seal to the new hose fitting. What I learned is I should have loosened the hose fitting, removed the clip, then unscrewed the hose fitting the rest of the way and NOT bend the hardline. The tool that worked best for me to remove the clip is the tip of a Superbar placed at the tip of the clip, then pry against a small block of wood wedged against the frame rail pushing the clip straight out. All other approaches resulted in skinned knuckles and vocabulary expansion or worse.