Axle leaking fluid...

I recently replaced my U-joint on the axle. After about a day I noticed that fluid was coming out from the end of the axle tube. I know there is a seal in there. Was wondering how hard it is to do. Do you have to take the gears and everything out or can it be done with the axle together??? This is the driver side axle (the shorter of the 2 axles).

Pull the shaft, crack the diff cover. Then pull the carrier. Pull the old seal (easy) and install the new seal (major pain in the ass).

Replace the carrier and diff cover, and axleshaft, fill with fresh fluid. And you are good to go.

Before doing all that though. Are you sure that the seal is leaking? Or did some of the gear lube leak out of the open hole when you had the shaft removed. (VERY COMMON PROBLEM).

You usually don't notice it till you start driving it around. And the lube makes it out of the tube.

I'd say clean up the mess that it made and drive it around for another week continuing to clean the mess. If at the end of the week, it is still leaking, you definately have a problem.

Karl speaks the truth. Those seals are a major PITA.

If you do pull your carrier, make sure you note the orientation of the bearing caps, and get them back in the same spot and direction.

Yeah, forgot about that. The bearing caps have to be on correctly and torqued down correctly.

D30 axleshaft removal: http://stu-offroad.com/axle/d30/axle-1.htm

D30 axleshaft seal replacement: http://stu-offroad.com/axle/d30seals/seal-1.htm

Jim www.yuccaman.com

Thanks for the write up links. I just did my seals today, not too bad, especially with the write up, made it a snap! Thanks again!