Looking for any DIY's on changing axel seals.

Are these axels pinned in the diff?

Thanks in advance.

 

Should be a full floater..... just take the bolts out of the end, and slide the whole thing out.

 

96 2500 Cummins Auto Trans

Working on the Spicer/Dana 70 rear end is new to me. This truck has 250,000 mile and had not had any leaks on the axel seals except minor trace. Oil lever was full. I have always used the factory oil and was a little suprised at the amount of sludge -- maybe normal as I do not do very much work on rear ends.

When I pulled drum to check brakes the seal was not just leaking, but like the dam broke as the entire area was a flood of oil all over the brake and drum area. Why such a big leak so sudden?

When I pulled the axel the hub was very loose/wobblely on the spindle. Again why?

After hub removal I see the apparent problem as the axel retaining nut was serverly worn and allowed loose bearing thus the excessive play.

There is no washer between nut and bearing thus appears design is for the nut, being of softer matierial, to accept as normal wear and wow did it wear.

At this point it is new shoes and back together with some new parts.
1- New axel nut NAPA 635-1102 ( note these are a suggested one time use and may possibly apply to the Spicer/Dana original.)
2- Wedge lock NAPA 635-1103.
3- Axel seal NAPA 28720

These axel nuts are 2 9/16" and I purchased a socket at NAPA, made by KD # 2436. Added 5-4-12 NOTE, KD has another socket listed as 2 9/16 but it did not work as appeared to have a thicker sidewall -- the number I listed worked OK.

My other side is not leaking, but plan to pull axel and change axel nut with retorque of bearings.

How would you handle these axels as milage increases?

What has been your experince with these axels and what problems have you encountered and what corrections did you make?

What would you suggest / should be done using high milage axels so as to prevent problems?

Thanks in advance.

 

Basically, if you keep them full of lube, and the seals good, they will last forever.

I don't think the inner race (that rides on the axle) is suppose to rotate on the axle though, it should rotate WITH the axle..... I would take a long hard look at the bearings, and make sure there isn't a problem. If you still have it apart, I would be real tempted to just replace them. Not like they haven't been in there for a while.....

 

if it was my truck, I would just ditch the whole axle and try to find a used rear axle that has a DANA80 rear end...

DANA 70 is a weak rear end anyway..heard of a lot of guys exploding those rear ends with just 400hp...

 

It's a stock 96 with 250 on it and he regularly tows from NH to FLA. And doesn't beat on it. I think he'll be fine just fixing it, and it will probably last another 250. LOL

 

HP ain't what kills a rear end... It's torque. And I would bet that the 400HP Cummins guys breaking them are usually pushing 800+ ft/lbs of the stuff... with 35's... pulling sleds... etc.

Of course if were talking about high rpm clutch dumps that's a completely different story


So yea in the high performance diesel world an 80 makes complete sense. But with a stock motor and an auto tranny... I think the 70 will get the job done.

 

it will. Was just saying that incase he has axle housing damage like my old s-10's rear axle had...

axle seal went and soaked the brakes, so i got new seals and bearings, only to find out it has so much slop those were not going to fix it because it had worn the axle shaft. so I got a better rear axle out of a truck that was 10 years newer that had a posi rear end and disc brakes instead of drum. decent upgrade for $300 and cheaper than replacing the brakes, seals bearings and axle shaft.

thats why I threw it out there.. if he can find a better used axle for cheaper than parts to fix his current one...why not?

 

Thanks to all for replies.

I added a note to my original post for the KD socket as there appears two different 2 9/16" listing.

The comment on bearing rotation on the spindle appears very slight with no appearent bearing damage, so when I put it back together there was very little play and came back to spec. The other side was normal so will just replace seal.

DANA 80 Questions:

I will start to look for a Dana 80 just in case. Is this axel generally considered the 1 ton axel?? Do I assume correctly it will work with 4 wheel drive?? I currently have the, I think, 3:52 gears and will the Dana 80 come with these gears??

What years Dana 80 would go into my 1996 2500 4X4??? Will it be a direct exchange with no drive shaft changes.

Thanks again.

 

ZMan 17 --- I should have added, not sure my rear end will go another 250,,LOL.