alexallen86

My pinion seal on my front dana 30 solid is leaking and am wondering if there's anything to do or tips to rebuild and do I have to take the axel off?

Bustedback

Just replace the seal. Remove the pinion yoke, pull the seal out without damaging the diff housing, and then tap the new seal into place. Intall the yoke and torque to spec. The axle stays in place, you only need to remove the driveshaft from the front axle.

Scott_Sport99

using an electric impact gun will work wonders

alexallen86

How much does a electric impact run?

Scott_Sport99

I used this
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-elec...nch-68099.html

alexallen86

Ok no to bad

Scott_Sport99

useful for tire changes also

bryweb

You can replace the "Pinion Seal" with the axle in place, as said previously you need to remove the "Pinion Yoke" by removing the big nut - BUT these axles have what is called a "Crush Sleeve" which really should be replaced and torque down properly (around 200 ft lbs which is ALOT!!!!) and technically you should be checking backlash (the amount of movement back and fourth between the pinion and yolk - the space between the gears) while the amount of force to turn the pinion yolk is measured in inch pounds (NOTE Inch Pounds) as you tighten the pinion nut (confusing I know). If not you risk burning up the bearings from being too tight or too loose, or worse yet prematurely wearing your ring and pinion (the crush sleeve controls the space between the ring and pinion and is exactly as it sound a SLEEVE that as it is torque'd down crushes - so you can see why it is a one time only use thing)

BUT you can get by marking the nut location in regards to the axle (like using a chisel and putting a straight line at 6 O'clock position), count how many turns it takes to remove, once replacing the seal, note a seal remover tools helps but you can usually pound a screw driver into the seal and get it removed, then you can knock the new seal in, a big socket that puts equal pressure around the seal as you tap it in helps, then put the pinion yoke back on and tighten the nut the same number of turns and go 1/16 past the previous marking (made earlier) and you SHOULD BE OK.

Here is the break down of the 1999-2004 WJ Dana 30 axle, #23 is the Crush Sleeve - http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-ax...herokee-wj.htm

PS: Others may be mistaken as XJ's have High Pinion Dana 30's which use Shims instead of the Crush Sleeve like the Low Pinion Dana 30 in the WJ and ZJ. The High Pinions are a little easier to adjust the torque. What others have said may work but it really is much more of a gamble than how I described.

PSS: Personally unless mine are leaking a lot I usually don't bother because if you are four wheeling in water a ton you are generally pulling your fill plug off to check for water (white oil) in the axle and it is easy enough to add some then (I actually bought a pump for $8 and get my gear oil by the gallon - but I like to play in the deep stuff)

I am not a pro, but I have done my own upgraded gears into both types axles successfully so I do have a basic understanding. Others may know more than me and if they do please feel free to correct me.


Good Luck,

Bryan

alexallen86

well i was not so confused before but i thing ill just have to get my hands on it and see

bryweb

Yep.... I have a tendency to over explain and confuse... just trying to give you all the material to understand why.

Long story short, mark the nut so you can tighten it back on 1/16 of a turn further, remove the nut with an impact (not a bad idea to hold the pinion yolk with a pipe wrench so you do not damage the gears), replace the seal, and put the nut on darn near exactly 1/16 of turn further when you tighten it (again holding the yolk with a pipe wrench) Done

alexallen86

Do you think the small Milwaukee impact electric would be able to do the same job?

bryweb

Milwaukee makes great stuff, but unless it is a 1/2 drive it will not have enough torque. you need around 200lbs of torque, you can use a long breaker bar !!!!

Bryan

alexallen86

Just picked up a compressor and a air wrench small enough to fit in the trunk powerful enough to operate tools so should be good for trails and it electric so I just rout it into my 12v system