Leaking fluid from front of rear differential - Easy Fix?
 

My $350 '95 Loredo is coming along great and I am down to one last leak that I need to fix so I don't trash my concrete driveway. I initially thought it might just be the cover but I can see that it's coming out where the drive shaft is. I am getting pretty darn good at driveway repairs so not too intimidated as long as I don't absolutely need specialty tools.

Is this seal something doable on a Saturday morning? I will check for parts at store if so and get 'r done.
Thanks
Steve

Its a pinion seal there not too bad...there easy to mess the seal up on the way in so just take you time...you will have to take the yoke off there to get to it.

there's a little more involved. if it's the rear, there is a crush sleeve in there, so if you just crank the nut back on, you risk crushing the sleeve more which will throw the gear meshing out.

you need an inch pound needle torque wrench to see how much it takes to turn your wheels, then upon reinstalling the nut, you want to go 5 inch pounds more.

changing the seal is actually very easy, but it's not a simple job.

Turn your wheels? My Haynes said that it should be turn without wheels and drums/brake. This is some of the steps in short version.

"
1. Loosen the wheel nuts, raise the veichel and support it securely on jackstands.
2. Remove the wheels and brake drums/discs
3. Disconnect the driveshaft
4. Rotate the yoke ten times or more, then measure and record the torque required to turn the pinion
5. Mark the relationship of the pinion shaft yoke to the pinion shaft
6. Remove yoke
7. Remove seal
9. lubricate new seal place it in place.
10 clean and grease the surface on the yoke that have contact with the seal, use the old nut to pul the yoke in place.
11. install washer and new pinion nut, tighten the nut enough to eliminate all endplay in th epinion shaft
12. turn the pinion shaft yoke several times to seat the bearings
13. Tighten the nut in small increments until what recorder in step 4 + five inch-punds is reached.

be very careful not to exceed the torque, DO NOT loosen the pinion nut once the tightening process had begun
14. Connect driveshaft etc.
"

yeah, i guess that makes more sense. i've done it with the stock wheels on and never had a problem.
just didn't want him to crank 100ft/lb on his pinion and crush his sleeve.

Excellent tips. I do have a nice torque wrench. What size wrench/socket will I need for that big nut? I think I might as well get a manual also.

Check these two links out.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/ho...ion-seal-5869/