How hard to fix. Leaking front axle seal

[CDBIKER220]

Hi, I have a 86 k10 4x4 I bought recently for winter. Have almost everything mechanical fixed other then a leak from the passenger front axle near the U-joint. after driving you can see oil on the tire and a puddle about the size of a quarter on the ground. How hard of a job is this. Since its just a beater/winter ride im debating if i should fix it or just top off the oil from time to time. I am very mechanically inclined and can do the work myself, should have all common tools. I just put on new rotors so i know how to get as far as getting the hub off atleast and have the special tool for that. So how involved is this and is there any other special tools. Thanks

[topp]

Someone else will answer you completely.....

AFAIK the seal is actually in the tube at the differential side and you have to remove the ring and spider gears, and the axle shaft to replace it.

[Grim 82]

Yep. You have to remove the axles and pull the carrier to get to them.

[topp]

Grim,

If you pull the carrier, can you just bolt it back it an torque the bolts back to spec (of course all parts going where they were prior to removal) or do you have to set the ring and pinion up again, like it was a new set of gears going in??

I have a slight leak on my pass side, and come spring (or a few warm days) I am planning on doing both sides.

[CDBIKER220]

I've done a gear install before in a chevelle...but dont really wanna get into that..this winter atleast since im driving it. So you actually have to take the whole carrier out not just pop off the c-clip and pull the axle?...

[Grim 82]

I've only done it once, on a friend's truck, but it seemed to work. I kept everything organized left to right, front to back, top to bottom and put it back exactly the way that it was. By rights I would imagine you should at least verify your tooth contact, etc., but I have no experience setting up a ring & pinion.  I just R&R'd the parts and it hasn't blown up yet. The worst part was cleaning all of the crap out of the axle tubes, and then we used a wooden closet rod stuck through the axle tube as a punch to tap on a socket to drive in the new seals. That part is definitely a 2 person job.

[Grim 82]

So you actually have to take the whole carrier out not just pop off the c-clip and pull the axle?...

The axles have to come out before the carrier will come out. There are guys on this site that do this everyday (the right way) that can tell you better than I can. Just wanted to let you know what you are up against.