Cold weather cause axle seal leak?
 

Dumb question, but will sub-freezing temps cause the inner axle seal to leak? It's never leaked before until today,until last night it was above freezing, it was 15 degrees last night, and below 30 today. Maybe the cold caused them to shrink some? It know it's probably time to change them, but I don't have time now to do it.

Yes, cold temperatures can push a marginal inner axle seal over the edge. The seal is typically a thin rubber, which of course can become more brittle and be more prone to damage when it is cold.

I lost one of mine right around this time of year last year. It was already dribbling a little for a couple months prior, but when the temperatures got frigid, it really started to leak severely.

I'm just wondering after it warms back up if it'll stop leaking to buy me some time. haha. I can do the work, but Alot of life stuff has come up in the last week. It's supposed to be back in the 40s tomorrow, may park it on a slight incline so what's in the tube will run out and just keep an eye on it for now.

Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes when they finally go, they are gone. They kind of shrivel up and won't ever seal around the shaft properly again.

Just make sure to pull the diff plug every couple days, and confirm that you aren't getting too low on fluid. I found that it took quite a bit of axle leaking to make much of a difference in the diff itself, but you don't want to take chances on that. Because grenading your diff is much much worse than replacing a $7 seal.

Got new seals, going to install them tomorrow after work, any tips to make it go faster?

Don't say what axle it is.
i just replaced the inner ones on my D35 and doing the D30 tomorrow when I swap out gears and install a tru-trac in it, my gears are shot.
Get a Jeep they said, it will be fun they said... lol.

Jeep: Just Empty Every Pocket

Try having several...
87 XJ DD
96 XJ waiting on 87 to get tired, and me to assemble it.
91 Wrangler, on a CJ7 chassis, burned valve, needs overhaul,
77 Cherokee Chief S needs fuel tank and tires.
02 Grand Cherokee Limited, again waiting on me to work on it, lift, and misc repairs like power windows etc.
Then there is the Powerstroke F350 4x4 it need injector cups...
I don't have a drug problem, I stay broke feeding the kids and Jeep parts lol

Opening things up, getting the carrier out, and banging the seals out was all pretty quick and easy. (watch a few videos)

The only part that was awkward doing it by myself was when it came time to tap the new seals back into place. Typically you use extensions or some other long bar through the axle tube. But its hard to tap something in with finesse and keep it straight, when you are standing 3-4 feet away from it. I wish I had a second pair of hands for that part. I just took my time and eventually got it.

is it necessary to remove the tie-rod to get the carrier out?

Drivers side it is.
also the carrier can be a tight fit, most are, so have to be a little creative wit hthe hammer putting it back in.

On my stock-ish 96, I did not have to remove the tie rod.

Got it done. What a job. And all from a piece of fishing line that walked its way up to the seal.

Excellent!

Can add axle tube seals to prevent that from happening again. https://www.ebay.com/p/Axle-Shaft-Se....c100005.m1851