Does anyone know how bad this damage is? I picked up a 98 Cherokee last night, and i saw it was weeping some gear oil from where the axle tube meets the differential housing. The owner had gears/lockers/seals done on the axle pretty recently, but said he didn't know when this started...I imagine he wheeled something a little too hard. So he used some silicone to try and stop it, but it's not working out so well.


So what's going on with this? Does the whole axle need to come out to have the tube pressed back in? Can i weld the axle tube to the differential, and if so do i need to follow the precautions of Cast to mild steel? It doesn't look bent or distorted but i haven't gotten a lot of time underneath it yet to check.

 

There is a chance the tube spun and yes you can weld it. I use nickel rods to weld cast to steel and heat it to cherry red. Unless your welds are perfect it could still leak.

 

Also the plugs that are in these three holes, top, fore and aft are loose/missing, unlike the other side which is solid...

 

id say that the tube spun on that side since those plug welds are missing.