So I've got an inner axle seal leak on the right side of my Dana 60. I REALLY don't want to have to pull the diff to replace the seal. Is there ANY chance that there is an outer seal I could put in? I've gotta replace the U-joints on both sides, so I figured this would be a good time to address the leak.

 

Well, to answer your original question, Your in luck. The D60 is already full floating. as to the other part, not so much. If your going to pull the front axle apart that much you might as well pull the diff. It won't be that much extra work.

 

I thought it was a semi-floater? I know my D80 out back is a full floater, but I thought the front D60 was a semi. Man it would be great news if I didn't have to put an inner seal in the diff!!!

In my mind, pulling the front diff is a pain b/c I have to remove the trac-bar and the draglink and tie rod. I'm pretty good at pulling the hubs and what not, but man I hate dealing with the steering/suspension components.

 

Well a semi floating axle uses the axle shaft to support the weight of the vehicle. On a full floating axle the axle housing and tube supports the weight. So....yeah don't think they make many semi floating front axles.

 

Ahhhhhhhh... I apparently had my terminology mixed up. I thought the floating referred to whether the fluid was contained only in the diff or if it flowed out to the ends of the axle housings all the way to the hubs. Now I understand what you were saying. Makes a whole lot more sense now.

 

A full floating axle typically uses a spindle bolted on the end of the axle tube. Which supports 2 tapered roller bearings that support the hub. Differential fluid will travel down the tubes and lubricate the bearings.

A semi floating axle also has a bearing at the end of the axle tube but it is usually a ball bearing. This bearing supports the axle shaft and the weight of the vehicle. This bearing still needs lubrication of some sort. Now in my mind it would make sense to use differential fluid, but they may use grease for all I know. Besides knowing the terminology I don't mess with semi floating axles much.

Now a front axle will use 2 tapered roller bearings on a spindle just like a full floating rear. In the dodge they just happen to be part of a single assembly. Now they are lubricated by grease because there is no physical way to use differential fluid to lubricate them and still allow the spindle to change directions in order to make the vehicle turn.

 

when i had my dodge and replaced the seals i never had to pull the track bar to get the diff out just the long tie rod end took me an a buddy less than 4 hours to replace both seals