Front diff by CV axle leaking

[RedDragonATL]

Yeah, that was it! There was still the metal ring from the old seal in there. Pics included.

So, now, just to be sure...which way does this new seal go in? I would assume this way (this side facing out)...

since there are little baffles on this side, which I assume are there to keep oil in...

Can you confirm before I have to do this all over again??

Thanks in advance!

 

[ugamurph]

Just the opposite of what your thinking. The flanges face toward the CV axle. The "baffles" (as you called them) actually ride against the CV axle shaft to keep the oil in. It compresses around the shaft and and into the CV tulip housing.

So, now, just to be sure...which way does this new seal go in? I would assume this way (this side facing out)...

since there are little baffles on this side, which I assume are there to keep oil in...

 

[ugamurph]

See my photo above and you can see that the flanges have to face away from the diff.

 

[RedDragonATL]

Just the opposite of what your thinking. The flanges face toward the CV axle. The "baffles" (as you called them) actually ride against the CV axle shaft to keep the oil in. It compresses around the shaft and and into the CV tulip housing.

Are you sure?? Doesn't seem the other side is made to drive against (to seat).

 

[RedDragonATL]

Just to sure, you are saying this side

out?

 

[ugamurph]

yes.

 

[ugamurph]

I'm positive. I took this picture before removing the old seal so that I would be sure to put the new one in correctly. Notice the flanges facing outward.

This is the old seal on the driver side.

 

[RedDragonATL]

Thanks! All buttoned up and about to test drive. I'll keep you posted!

 

[RedDragonATL]

Yay! No leaks!

Thanks for the assistance!

I guess it helps if you get all of the old part out before you try & install a new one.

 

[ugamurph]

Yay! No leaks!

Thanks for the assistance!

I guess it helps if you get all of the old part out before you try & install a new one.

Good! Way to go.

 

[jmildoc]

Very informative thread, thank you for posting this. I had a leak in the past on driver side that eventually just stopped after I already bought the new seal. Now I replaced my passenger side and the seal there is leaking, So I think when I replace that seal I will then stretch my CV boots cause they rub, and replace the driver side seal and CV Axle with a rebuilt stock one. oh fun fun.

 

[SCHUNTER1969]

Just redid my passenger side CV axle and noticed where the CV axle enters the front diff there is a small leak that has formed.

Now from what ive gathered through search, there is a front diff seal that probably is my issue.

At first i thought it was that dust shield that you move from your old CV axle to the new but from searching it says that the dust shield function is not for sealing the oil but "literally" a dust shield to prevent shit from getting into the diff.

Which seems to reinforce that my front axle seal is my issue?

90311-47012- driver side seal, it was about $12
90311-47013 - passanger side seal, a little bigger, and was about $21

Here are part numbers for future reference.
I went ahead and ordered the passenger side and although i copied that post from a TTORA post from 2008, amazingly its still the same price at $21 haha

So if anyone can confirm that this is most likely my issue that would be awesome.
if not ill be redoing my CV axle and hoping for the best.

Hey just to let people know who are doing this job, the driver side seal has been replaced by Toyota part number 90311-47027.

 

[BrandBoe]

I've ordered a new seal for my passenger side diff, which is leaking after I replaced with remanufactured axles that were provided to me from Toyota. The dealership told me that this is a common issue with remanufactured axles, as they will sometimes 'shave off a little' at the sealing side of the axle where it meets up at the differential oil seal, causing it to leak. They've claimed that they have even seen cases where they pre-fit the seal on a remanned axle, such that it seems tight, but it still leaks.

In that, I've read the thread above and am hoping that my seal has just been shifted back and/or damaged when I replaced the axle (twice). The first one was the wrong part...right part number...wrong part (thanks to Toyota boxing up the wrong item and me installing it only to find out...yeah:mad2.

That being said, I'll try to update the thread here with my outcome. The dealership claimed that the most likely fix will be to replace it with an OEM axle and new seal. They also said this wouldn't be covered by warranty since i did the first axle repair myself...:redbrick:

Funny thing is, my driver side is also a remanned axle and it doesn't leak at all; however, the passenger side is dripping ever so slightly.

 

[mtbtim]

For those finding this thread, here's a video tutorial you can use for this repair.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mh1BK5--KrU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[97FR_brad]

Nice video mtbtim!!

I had to replace the driver side cv axle and seal last year due to a leak.
Bought 2 new cv axles from napa and 1 from autozone. Neither of the napa axles would correctly "snap" into the diff housing. I was able to get the old cv axle and the new autozone axle to install properly.
Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience with napa axle not fitting.
Thanks

Ps. this was after getting Arb lockers installed. Wouldn't think that would matter though.

 

[BrandBoe]

Great video indeed.

I know that toyota has the recess spec, but it would seem that the depth in which you set the seal at can play into weather or not it seals up fully to a non-OEM axle (e.g. remanufatured, NAPA, etc.) My seals are not old, but they leaked after I installed a remanufactured axle.

My approach will be to test fit the new seal on the axle once its removed, observe/note the existing seal's depth in the diff., and then set the new seal at a depth less than where it currently sits...reinstall the axle, ensure that there isn't any interference with the seal and the cv housing where it meets the diff, and hope that my leak has been fixed.

I will do my best to follow-up with at the very least a result to what I ended up with, and at best maybe a few pictures along with my results.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge on this forum.

 

[BrandBoe]

Great video indeed.

I know that toyota has the recess spec, but it would seem that the depth in which you set the seal at can play into weather or not it seals up fully to a non-OEM axle (e.g. remanufatured, NAPA, etc.) My seals are not old, but they leaked after I installed a remanufactured axle.

My approach will be to test fit the new seal on the axle once its removed, observe/note the existing seal's depth in the diff., and then set the new seal at a depth less than where it currently sits...reinstall the axle, ensure that there isn't any interference with the seal and the cv housing where it meets the diff, and hope that my leak has been fixed.

I will do my best to follow-up with at the very least a result to what I ended up with, and at best maybe a few pictures along with my results.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge on this forum.

Just following up as promised, I believe I've been successful with the new seal on the passenger side. I was having a slow leak after installing toyota remanufactured axles, and we told by the dealership that I'd just need to go with a new seal and a OEM axle to get it to seal (as I described above).

Here's what I did, and I believe it was suggested as a solution in this thread, so I'm not claiming the solution as mine. The factory seal sits flush with the inner lip in the differential, where the axle meets up to it, and I measure that at 5.5-6mm from the outermost edge of the diff.

I pulled the axle, and looked at where the seal had been 'seating', which was a little further out than I expected.

I Test fitted a new seal to ensure that it felt snug...which it felt a little lose to me, but I also don't have the best feel for this being my first time replacing this seal, so I went with it. I didn't feel or observe any gaps, excessive play, and figured it wasn't meant to be 'tight' for the sake of wear and tear.

I pulled the old seal out and seated the new seal just shy of the recommended depth. I followed up with measuring to see where I was: roughly 4.75mm. Visually you could see that it wasn't all the way in, BUT by now means did it seem that it would come out easy...I had to seat it that far using a hammer and the right diameter race. I trusted I wasn't going anywhere.

I reinstalled the axle, topped off the gear oil, and went to a friends house about a half hour away, using both back roads and highway (35-70mph).

I checked the bottom of the diff last night, and this morning to find that my leak has, thus far, been fixed.