Alright. I know I could just search a very, very, VERY, simple question like this. But how important is it to replace a leaky front axel seal? My front right has been "leaky" for about a month and a half. Its a very slow drip, but I just had all fluid replaced same time I was told that was starting to leak(a month and a half, two months ago).

 

Bear in mind, if fluid can get OUT, other stuff can get IN. If you off-road much, need to get it changed out. If you don't.... just pay attention to the fluid level.

Good news is, the passenger side is the 'easy' (for certain values thereof) to change.

 

Yup, thats very true. Good thing is, is that I dont plan on doing much off-roading right now so I think Ill let it go a couple more weeks and get fixed or fix it(granted it is a pain in the ***.)

 

I know this is a "dead thread" but I do not want to start a new thread that pertains to axel seals...


Anyways. Yesterday I got my oil changed and what not. Before,(I know a mechanic and I was at his house) we got into my axel and what not to change the inner seal. And boy did we find out that, that wasnt gonna happen. That day or for another 2 weeks till he had that kind of time to work on something like that.

So we bolted everything back up and I get home and park my truck basically for the rest of the day and night. I come out and there is a big little 5/6 inch long puddle of leakage sittin under my tire. I placed a cardboard box under it and its been drippin more.... How safe is it(for my gears) to drive this to the closest shop to get fixed? Or should I just have it towed over to the shop? If I could Id drive 2 hours down the highway to the best Dodge Dealership in Colorado to get it done but I dont think I can do that.

 

Pictures.... The one on the driveway I wiped up but it was pretty wet when I saw it earlier.







At first it was just wet and dripped every now and then. Then well you see what happened.

 

i would check the diff level and fill up if its empty or close to empty then take the drive to get it fixed. It really isnt too big a deal as long as you dont let the gears get bone try so you get metal to metal wear.

 

as long as you keep the diff oil level close to full, it won't hurt it to leak. i drove mine with leaky seals for 3 years.

however - if you let it run very low on oil, then you'll ruin the diff. so monitor it... this tends to happen more with a pinion leak (its lower) than an axle seal leak.

you may find that when the oil level is full, that it leaks real bad, and when the oil level is a tad low, say about 1 inch down from the fill hole (which is fine), that it may not leak as bad. mine was like that.