Help With Replacing Rear Axle Seals

george3111987 · Jan 30, 2008

hi i am trying to replace the seals by myself. i have no knowledge about the rear end besides from what i have read from the service manual. so i was hoping for some advice from u guys. please don't tell me to bring it to a shop( if i dont know what i am doing) because i cannot afford it right now. thanks for all ur help

if u guys want to know the whole story just click on this link
http://www.titantalk.com/forums/titan-problems-dealer-service/67781-04-titan-rear-end-problem.html

bestatchess · Jan 30, 2008

To change the seals you have to change the bearings which I think requires a press.

http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/d44/d44-1.htm

george3111987 · Jan 30, 2008

i did buy all the parts the Axle seals, Shaft bearings, Spacer, and the Snap ring. i am palanning to replace both sides just to be on the safe side. i am planning to bring it to a shop to get it pressed. i was wondering about the removing of the rear axle shaft the things that i need to watch out for. In the service manual it says about some special tool to pull out the shaft from the rear end.

bbomar · Jan 30, 2008

Wow!! No knowledge, and you're trying this?? Good Luck!!

CMBTITAN6 · Jan 30, 2008

If you are not filmilar with it I would advise taking it to a local shop. It's alot cheaper to pay someone a few hundred bucks to replace the seals than to mess by doing it yourself and then have to come up with enough $$$ to replace the rear end. Save yourself some money and only do the side that is leaking. If you already have the parts then it should only cost you about $130.00 or so in labor to get one side replaced, plus it comes with a warranty from the dealer so if it messes up, it's on them................:bang:

george3111987 · Jan 30, 2008

i don't know if u guys read the link i posted so long story short. the dealer will not replace the seals because they are saying that i need a whole new rear end which will cost me $4100.

bbomar · Jan 31, 2008

george3111987 said:
i don't know if u guys read the link i posted so long story short. the dealer will not replace the seals because they are saying that i need a whole new rear end which will cost me $4100.

That's pretty amazing, since you can buy a new one for $1100.00 !!!

george3111987 · Jan 31, 2008

yep i know, how do u think i felt when they told me that. there is not that many choices in front of me right now. that's why i want to do this by myself.

bbomar · Jan 31, 2008

george3111987 said:
yep i know, how do u think i felt when they told me that. there is not that many choices in front of me right now. that's why i want to do this by myself.

Can you afford to just buy a new axle, and install it yourself?

wanatitan · Jan 31, 2008

That's sucks man! I have felt you pain in the past!!! I am a do it yourselfer also.
I wish I could offer you some advice, but I am a Brand New Titan owner.
I just learned how to park it:rofl:
Good luck to ya!!!!

P2000 · Jan 31, 2008

George,
I am in the same boat as you. I had a Tru-trac installed and now my right axle seal is leaking. I am planning on taking care of mine this weekend. Let me know how you make out. It looks to be a painin the butt.

TitanBlue · Jan 31, 2008

Go to the library and get some manuals that illustrate how to do it. Then do one and see if it goes well. A month later, do the other one. Don't replace an axle just because a seal is leaking.

loufish · Jan 31, 2008

I think you might need a slide hammer to get the axle shaft/bearing/seal assembly out of the rear end housing...

bbomar · Jan 31, 2008

Where are you located, maybe some of your Titan brothers could help!!

TitanTech659 · Jan 31, 2008

I've done about a dozen of these. It's not that hard but you will need a press. If you can take it to a shop that has one you will be in good shape. The hard work is doing the press work.

First remove the ABS sensor.

To remove the park brake cable, remove the bolt. Then you need a long skinny flat screwdriver and there is a hook inside a bracket. The hook is holding the brake cable. Stick the screw driver into the bracket and pry the hook up. A couple jiggles of the cable and you should be able to remove it.

Remove the caliper.

Remove the 4 nuts using a 19mm wrench.

Now to get the axle out. You don't need a slide hammer. Just give it a few tugs. If you get it started but can't get it all the way out just use a pry bar and work it out. Pull out the axle.

There is a spacer on the axle just after the snap ring that you will need to take off before you put it in the press.

Drill a hole directly in the center of the spacer about half way through. Do not go too deep or you will drill into the axle. Now take a chisle and go across the hole you just drilled. Hit it untill the spacer cracks and it will slide off.

Now you can press the backing plate (with the studs), and the bearing off.

You WILL need a new bearing and backing plate for it will be destroyed when pressing it off.

Don't forget to pull out the bearing race from inside the end of the rear diff housing.

Install in reverse order.

Hope this helps. I know some of the descriptions aren't that clear but I hope it gives you an idea. Good luck. Shoot me a message if you need to.

CMBTITAN6 · Jan 31, 2008

Sorry, I just read the cliff notes!

Question: Why is the dealer saying that you need to replace a rear end assy for leaking axle seals? Are you exp any popping noises or any kind of drive train vibrations when in gear?

We have replaced many rear axle seals and the rear ends are just fine, unless
you are exp any of the listed symptoms mentioned above, if so then your problem may be deeper and axles seals won't fix it.

george3111987 · Feb 1, 2008

wow thank you guys for all ur reply. i am located in kenner, LA. the dealer is saying the oil level was too low and it burned out the axle (the truck did not looked like it had been worked on when i got it back). i think they just came to an guess that i need a new rearend. when i brought the truck to the dealer i did mention about a rattle from the bottom(i later figured out it was from the heat shield for the gas tank) of the truck but he wrote it down as a noise from the rear end. so they put both of the low oil level and rattle together and came to the conclusion that i need a new rear end. the truck still drives fine no noise a very very slight vibration but its there sometimes when the truck is in park.

do u guys think that i should bring it to another dealership its 45min away from where i am staying.

all the other problems i had at that time the dealer could not duplicate which is really stupid because even my mom could duplicate some of the problems i am having with that truck(she callled me to a gas station because she could not figure out how to put gas in the car) so now u guys have an idea how mechanically advanced my mom is.

AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP

Learjet · Feb 1, 2008

george3111987 said:
wow thank you guys for all ur reply. i am located in kenner, LA. the dealer is saying the oil level was too low and it burned out the axle (the truck did not looked like it had been worked on when i got it back). i think they just came to an guess that i need a new rearend. when i brought the truck to the dealer i did mention about a rattle from the bottom(i later figured out it was from the heat shield for the gas tank) of the truck but he wrote it down as a noise from the rear end. so they put both of the low oil level and rattle together and came to the conclusion that i need a new rear end. the truck still drives fine no noise a very very slight vibration but its there sometimes when the truck is in park.

do u guys think that i should bring it to another dealership its 45min away from where i am staying.

all the other problems i had at that time the dealer could not duplicate which is really stupid because even my mom could duplicate some of the problems i am having with that truck(she callled me to a gas station because she could not figure out how to put gas in the car) so now u guys have an idea how mechanically advanced my mom is.

AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP

edit, went back and saw your link and I see you are out of the warranty

CMBTITAN6 · Feb 1, 2008

Try another dealer, sounds like the rear end is fine. You will deff know when the rear end is going out, you will start to hear a "loud" popping noise, which sounds nasty I might add, and it will be hard to get any forward or rearward movement out of the vehicle when this happens. I would opt to going to a diff dealer, don't tell them about what you have already been through at the other dealer, just take it to them (with your supplied parts) and have them replace the leaking axle seal...........good luck!

george3111987 · Feb 1, 2008

i will do that next week because its mardi gras time and the traffic is horrible. i will let u guys know what they have to say.

Help With Replacing Rear Axle Seals

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