Has Anyone Here done Rear Axle Seals on a 3rd Gen?

Sorry if this has been covered, as I've searched I've seen quite a few 2nd gens getting their rear axle seals done and I'm not sure if they are the same. I've got a leak on the drive's side so I'm looing at doing this if it's not too hard. TIA

 

It’s the same process.
Except the torque numbers for the nuts holding the axle in changed. IIRC?

 

The seal part number and all the associated wheel bearing hardware is the same as 2nd gen.

If you have a leak, just changing the seal probably won’t fix it long term. The seal seals to the wheel bearing retainer collar, and I would expect the cause of a leak is a groove in that collar. Replacing that collar would require a press to install the new. So I imagine it will be more involved than just replacing the seal. Not a hard job but a decent bit of work and required tools.

 

I’ve found that a lot of time, the rear breather is stuck closed.
This builds up pressure in the differential and it has to go somewhere.
Which is out the axle seal.

Always, change, or at a minimum, inspect the breather when doing an axle seal.

 

It’s worth throwing a new one on, but they’re difficult to just inspect. They give the illusion of being bad because they hold in pressure by design. But throwing on a new one isn’t a bad idea at all.

 

The most comprehensive guide that I've found to changing rear bearings which covers your question

https://youtu.be/g_eIcjEwmAo?feature=shared

 

Was just going to suggest the same thing. I’ve my Jeeps rear axle actively drip oil from the pinion seal and once I cleaned the vent, zero drips and it didn’t even sweat from the pinion afterwards

 

That is a great video, the job looks kinda OK but with the press and special axle tool I might look into subbing out that work to a machine shop. I should be able to bring them the axles and then have them press off the retainer and install the new Koyo bearing assembly and retainer.

 

It was easier than it looks. Buy the American made tool on eBay that all the Chinese companies copy and you won't have any issues.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2045663160...CcnVsIDR1O&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I did mine in a several hours and that was even with the race stuck on the axle. Had to cut it off. You can avoid that by getting the additional tool from the eBay seller.

 

Def need a 20+ ton press to break em free

 

Did mine with 20ton harbor freight special, no issues at all

 

Damn, wish I had known about that tool. I bought a more expensive one on Amazon that didn’t fit in a HF press. Had to buy another press with a bolt together press shelf in order to use that tool.

 

Thanks for the advice. I have access to a press but the logistics would be weird to get the axles to the press (without my truck!) and back. I've heard that there is only one decent tool for this job so thanks for the link to the right one.

 

I've used a couple different tools and a 20T press wasn't enough to push it out. I had to heat up the bearing with a torch before it would pop free and made a few of us poop a little. Very scary if you have a really tight race. Otherwise they just pop right off and you can be done in less time than it takes to bleed the brakes.

 

Oh shoot, I meant I used a 20ton press, my bad for the incorrect info