Must not realize he has to pull the carrier and shafts.

 

I wouldnt do it for $70 for a customer, a buddy in the jeep club with some beer..... maybe

 

They know its the front seal. The lower ball joint has some oil on it and the metal housing of the wheel.

 

It actually wasn't the outer seal that was broken, it was the inner seal inside the differential that was broken. The axle was just replaced a month ago. Is it possible for the inner seal to break with the replacement of the new axle?

 

There is no outer seal. If you're not careful pulling/installing the axle shaft you can fudge up the seal.

 

If he is only quoting you $70, then you should jump all over that.
Its not a hard job, but it is a time consuming one. $70 is a deal!

 

The job is now costing $200. My mechanic said the the seal on the inside of the differential (where the oil is held) is broken. Does this make sense to you cherokee owners out there? I don't know too much about cars. Thank god for these forums!

 

Those are the only seals in the front axle. (aside from pinion seal). That price is a lot more normal

 

Did the same mechanic replace the axle? By axle what do you mean? The shafts, or the complete axle?

 

I don't mean to thread jack, but I'm needing to do the same job on my jeep. Are these the correct inner seals that the dana 30 needs? Just two of them? http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.co...R-AXLE-DANA-30

 

It's a cv axle. The same mechanic installed the axles a month ago

 

Yes. I just did mine a few weeks ago. I picked up a 34MM socket and used a **** ton of extensions to hammer it in.

 

cv? What model and year do you have? Cherokee or Grand Cherokee?

 

The price would be fair, but if he put in the axles a month ago, then he knicked the seals most likely. Now also it could be that the seals are original and got a little brittle, and when he installed the shafts they just couldnt handle it from being aged. What I would do is ask for some sort of discount from the $200 like $50 and ask for a compromise since it could be his fault/ could be the age of the truck

 

Either way, if it showed any signs of age he should have offered to replace the seals as well. Pulling the shafts is half the battle, pulling the carrier can be a PITA but if you know what you're doing it's not that hard, a folded up rag between the ring and pinion and turn the pinion yoke. Seals can be easily installed with a 34MM socket and extensions + a rubber mallet.