XJ 44 rear inner seals

The 44 I'm working on has a strange all-rubber seal just outside the carrier bearings. They are almost like a donut of gasket maker. Anyways, I need to replace them since they are both torn. Is it a common piece? All the auto parts stores are closed today so I didn't have a chance to ask any, and I didn't find any online.

Marcus

Is this an XJ/MJ Dana 44, or a full-floater from some other vehicle?

It an xj 44. Got any ideas?

Marcus

i have these same "donuts" in my XJ d-44 and was wondering about their purpose as well. they don't appear to actually contact the axle shaft, so i don't think they're seals.

you can sorta see one here, on the right side of the pumpkin:



looks like and o-ring, right between where the carrier bearing sits and the axle tube. maybe they pre-load the carrier bearings?

It's actually just RTV or some sort that the factory probabaly put there to prevent leaking out of where the axle tube is pressed in. Mine were all ripped up when I disassembled and assembled my 44 anyway, and I've had no problems since.

So I don't need them? I mean, diff oil needs to go into the tubes to lube the wheel bearings, right? So, it wouldn't make sense to seal that off right there.... right?

Thanks for the help guys.

Marcus

Also, Cbremer- do you have a seem looking thing that runs up and down right across where the pinion race is (the race next to the gear, not yoke... that you can see in the pic)????? At first I thought it was a crack, but its so strait that I'm pretty sure it's not... still thought I would ask though. It runs from the top oil tunnel strait through the middle of the race and down to the bottom tunnel guy, if the pic was bigger I could probably see it.

Marcus

marcusguy said:

So I don't need them? I mean, diff oil needs to go into the tubes to lube the wheel bearings, right? So, it wouldn't make sense to seal that off right there.... right?

Thanks for the help guys.

Marcus

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no, it's so it doesn't leak outside of the diff, between the cast section and the tube. All the oil will still get to the bearings in the end of the tube.

marcusguy said:

Also, Cbremer- do you have a seem looking thing that runs up and down right across where the pinion race is (the race next to the gear, not yoke... that you can see in the pic)????? At first I thought it was a crack, but its so strait that I'm pretty sure it's not... still thought I would ask though. It runs from the top oil tunnel strait through the middle of the race and down to the bottom tunnel guy, if the pic was bigger I could probably see it.

Marcus

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sorry, not that i've noticed... but i don't remember for sure. i would guess it's probably a seam or some flashing left over from when the pumpkin was cast.

Well, I decided that I'm going to swirt some gasket maker in there so it doesn't leak out and I'm going to put it all together one last time.

Bremer- thanks for the reply. I pulled the pinion bearing race one last time since I am now installing all the good bearings. I decided that I would be able to tell if it was supposed to be there or not by whether the crack/seem showed up where the bearing race sits or not. It didn't, seemed to stop right before, so I'm sure now it's just from the cast. Thanks guys, going to go put it all back together once and for all (hopefully).

Marcus

Marcusguy,

If you notice that the axle tubes are NOT welded aroung their circumference where they enter the housing. Axle tubes are generally held in the housing via a clearance press fit and a couple rosette welds. It is common practice for axle manufacturers to put a little silicone on the tube (and the tube end) before pressing it in the housing. This helps lubricate the tube helping it slide in as well as seal the tube so they don't have to weld all around its circumference to seal it. That RTV you see inside the housing the the excess that was on the end of the tube and got squished out when the tube was pressed in. Much like any RTV that squishes out around the diff cover after a gear oil change. There is no need to add any more silicone to that area in the diff.