Front axle seal on 2000 Grand Cherokee - $800?!

My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
get thing apart and back together.

Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

You might try throwing the carrier into the housing, I haven't had
a problem doing that, and it's not like your changing any of the shims:
http://www.billhughes.com/temp/dana30alxeSeal.pdf
http://billhughes.com/Dana30WheelBearing/
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O


wrote:
>
> My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> get thing apart and back together.
>
> Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

In article . com>,
> wrote:
#My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
#2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
#to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
#the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
#case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
#the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
#older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
#get thing apart and back together.

The pumpkin speader is not the problem. It's just bar stock, nuts,
bolts, and a turnbuckle.

The problem is not spreading the housing more than 1/2 mm as per
the manual.

/herb

Hmmm.....

Well, when I do front axle seals I use a threaded rod and washers I put
inside the axle tube to suck the seal into place rather than push the
seal in with the 'special tool' like Bill's pdf states. I do the wrench
turning out where the CV/U joint would be.

I am really not 100% sure, but I don't think I would have to take all
the guts out of the pumpkin to do this. The book uses a push rod to set
the seals which does require the guts to be taken all the way out.

Getting the hub out of the steering knuckle is usually the worst part.
I have a sacrificial bolt I use to put half way back in and pound on to
get the hub moving. It has 3 bolts that can be accessed easy when you
cut the steering hard each way.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

wrote:
>
> My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> get thing apart and back together.
>
> Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

once ina great whil;e does the case spreader need to be used and usually
when a axle assembly has been heated up real good almost run dry it does
tkake some speical seal tools to get the seals in square or they leak

wrote:

> My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> get thing apart and back together.
>
> Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

Seals have a seat. No matter what tool you use, if you don't seat them
properly, they will leak. You don't put them in half way and figure you
got them square by eye or hope you got them square, you bottom them to
the seat.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

philthy wrote:
>
> once ina great whil;e does the case spreader need to be used and usually
> when a axle assembly has been heated up real good almost run dry it does
> tkake some speical seal tools to get the seals in square or they leak
>
> wrote:
>
> > My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> > 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> > to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> > the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> > case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> > the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> > older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> > get thing apart and back together.
> >
> > Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

without the tool it's a real pain to seat those without damaging them

Mike Romain wrote:

> Seals have a seat. No matter what tool you use, if you don't seat them
> properly, they will leak. You don't put them in half way and figure you
> got them square by eye or hope you got them square, you bottom them to
> the seat.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> philthy wrote:
> >
> > once ina great whil;e does the case spreader need to be used and usually
> > when a axle assembly has been heated up real good almost run dry it does
> > tkake some speical seal tools to get the seals in square or they leak
> >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> > > 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> > > to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> > > the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> > > case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> > > the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> > > older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> > > get thing apart and back together.
> > >
> > > Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

philthy did pass the time by typing:
> without the tool it's a real pain to seat those without damaging them

I'm thinking the local AutoZone/PepBoys type stores often have that tool
in the rental bins. Worth a shot.

> Mike Romain wrote:
>
>> Seals have a seat. No matter what tool you use, if you don't seat them
>> properly, they will leak. You don't put them in half way and figure you
>> got them square by eye or hope you got them square, you bottom them to
>> the seat.
>>
>> Mike
>> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
>> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
>> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>>
>> philthy wrote:
>>>
>>> once ina great whil;e does the case spreader need to be used and usually
>>> when a axle assembly has been heated up real good almost run dry it does
>>> tkake some speical seal tools to get the seals in square or they leak
>>>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
>>>> 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
>>>> to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
>>>> the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
>>>> case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
>>>> the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
>>>> older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
>>>> get thing apart and back together.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I made my own tool and I have
done a bunch of them successfully.

The tool is a threaded rod with washers on it that I use to suck the
seal into it's seat. That tool means I wouldn't have to have the
complete guts out of the case so I likely wouldn't need the case
spreader.

Mike

philthy wrote:
>
> without the tool it's a real pain to seat those without damaging them
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
>
> > Seals have a seat. No matter what tool you use, if you don't seat them
> > properly, they will leak. You don't put them in half way and figure you
> > got them square by eye or hope you got them square, you bottom them to
> > the seat.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >
> > philthy wrote:
> > >
> > > once ina great whil;e does the case spreader need to be used and usually
> > > when a axle assembly has been heated up real good almost run dry it does
> > > tkake some speical seal tools to get the seals in square or they leak
> > >
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> > > > 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> > > > to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> > > > the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> > > > case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> > > > the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> > > > older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> > > > get thing apart and back together.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks fellow Jeep fans!

why yes it is

DougW wrote:

> philthy did pass the time by typing:
> > without the tool it's a real pain to seat those without damaging them
>
> I'm thinking the local AutoZone/PepBoys type stores often have that tool
> in the rental bins. Worth a shot.
>
> > Mike Romain wrote:
> >
> >> Seals have a seat. No matter what tool you use, if you don't seat them
> >> properly, they will leak. You don't put them in half way and figure you
> >> got them square by eye or hope you got them square, you bottom them to
> >> the seat.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> >> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> >> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> >> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
> >>
> >> philthy wrote:
> >>>
> >>> once ina great whil;e does the case spreader need to be used and usually
> >>> when a axle assembly has been heated up real good almost run dry it does
> >>> tkake some speical seal tools to get the seals in square or they leak
> >>>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> My dealer just quoted $800 to replace a leaking front axle seal on my
> >>>> 2000 GC V8. After nearly suffering a heart attack I grabbed the manual
> >>>> to determine the level of effort and the only thing that scares me are
> >>>> the "special tools" required, mainly the spreader used to spread the
> >>>> case to get the differential out. Do I really need this spreader and
> >>>> the subsequent tool to seat the 2 seals inside the case? I've ripped
> >>>> older 4x4's apart and can't remember having anything so "special" to
> >>>> get thing apart and back together.
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks fellow Jeep fans!