SyCo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Spokane, WA
This past week I went all out with my XJ project: 5" RE Extreme Duty, 33 MT/Rs, 4.56 gears, SYE, etc etc. I also swapped in a Dana 44 from an 87 XJ, here's some background info:
- Axle was 3.55 open diff, mileage unknown
- Shafts were removed and inspected, good condition. New seals, bearings and race installed
- Regeared to 4.56, still open diff (waiting for available Eaton E-Locker)
- Stock shock mounts cut off, new JKS mounts welded on
- ZJ disc brakes adapted, welded up holes on the axle flange and drilled new ones to the ZJ bracket pattern
- Currently using Rubicon retainer plates to hold the seals in
- Extended stainless steel brakeline installed
- Extended the breather hose using coiled air compressor hose
I finished up everything Wednesday night and took her for a test drive: drove great. Got home, and the driver side wheel/tire was covered in gear oil. Removed the axleshafts from both sides in fear that we got the wrong axleshafts into the wrong ends of the housing - it was correct, passenger side longer, driver side shorter.
Reinstalled the axleshafts taking care to ensure proper seal engagement. Test drove again, no problems. Get home, and the passenger side seal started leaking. Removed axleshaft and coated the outer edge of the seal with some RTV prior to reinstallation.
Another test drive, everything seems great. I drove it to work, where the jeep sat for a few hours, come back, and there's a leak on the driverside again. Pull the shaft, coat the outer edge of the seal with RTV, reinstall.
Test drive yet again, no problems. Got home, and now the passenger side seal is leaking again! I'm about at my wits end trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
I picked up some new seals from the stealership, and measured the diamater compared to the currently installed seals. New seals came out to 2.875", old ones are at 2.865". Is .010" enough to cause these problems? As far as I know they're the exact same seals, the ones installed I got from Crown Automotive (sorry, I don't have the box so I don't know the part #), but the Mopar ones are #83503063. The old seals look to be in great shape, they don't appear to be out of round or have any nicks or kinks in them.
Perhaps a clogged breather line is building up pressure in the housing and blowing the seals out?
The differential can't be overfilled, because the pinion is tilted 4* upward so the gears are actually getting less fluid than in a stock XJ configuration.
I don't think the shafts are bent or out of round, and even if one was why would both seals leak at different times?
Sorry for the long winded post, I'm just getting extremely frustrated and want to get my XJ back on the road. Thanks in advance.
- Axle was 3.55 open diff, mileage unknown
- Shafts were removed and inspected, good condition. New seals, bearings and race installed
- Regeared to 4.56, still open diff (waiting for available Eaton E-Locker)
- Stock shock mounts cut off, new JKS mounts welded on
- ZJ disc brakes adapted, welded up holes on the axle flange and drilled new ones to the ZJ bracket pattern
- Currently using Rubicon retainer plates to hold the seals in
- Extended stainless steel brakeline installed
- Extended the breather hose using coiled air compressor hose
I finished up everything Wednesday night and took her for a test drive: drove great. Got home, and the driver side wheel/tire was covered in gear oil. Removed the axleshafts from both sides in fear that we got the wrong axleshafts into the wrong ends of the housing - it was correct, passenger side longer, driver side shorter.
Reinstalled the axleshafts taking care to ensure proper seal engagement. Test drove again, no problems. Get home, and the passenger side seal started leaking. Removed axleshaft and coated the outer edge of the seal with some RTV prior to reinstallation.
Another test drive, everything seems great. I drove it to work, where the jeep sat for a few hours, come back, and there's a leak on the driverside again. Pull the shaft, coat the outer edge of the seal with RTV, reinstall.
Test drive yet again, no problems. Got home, and now the passenger side seal is leaking again! I'm about at my wits end trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
I picked up some new seals from the stealership, and measured the diamater compared to the currently installed seals. New seals came out to 2.875", old ones are at 2.865". Is .010" enough to cause these problems? As far as I know they're the exact same seals, the ones installed I got from Crown Automotive (sorry, I don't have the box so I don't know the part #), but the Mopar ones are #83503063. The old seals look to be in great shape, they don't appear to be out of round or have any nicks or kinks in them.
Perhaps a clogged breather line is building up pressure in the housing and blowing the seals out?
The differential can't be overfilled, because the pinion is tilted 4* upward so the gears are actually getting less fluid than in a stock XJ configuration.
I don't think the shafts are bent or out of round, and even if one was why would both seals leak at different times?
Sorry for the long winded post, I'm just getting extremely frustrated and want to get my XJ back on the road. Thanks in advance.