'14 Ram 2500 Axle Seals Leaking
My '14 2500 has 120,000 miles. This summer before a big trip pulling my 5th wheel out west I found both outer axle seals leaking. I replaced them along with the parking brake shoes and have pulled o...
Forum Discussion
I just realized I never updated this.
4/30/18
I tore into the axle and found the seals I had previously installed seemed to be leak around the OD of the seal where it's pressed into the hub. No explanation for this because the axle vent tube was free and clear as well.
When I ordered the unitized seals I also bought the machined aluminum seal driver from Torque King 4X4 so I would get the seal installed square.
As I prepped for the work I decided to take extra precaution and go ahead and install new bearings and races in the hubs. Also, I bought an AAM factory finned, aluminum differential cover to help with heat dissipation.
When I installed the new seals I put a thin layer of RTV red (high temp) around the OD of the seal then installed it with the seal driver. Torque King advised to simply put a thin layer of grease on the axle spindle and then use the spindle nut to run it down into place.
After much searching I finally found pre-load specs for the spindle nut. I tightened them down to 22ft-lbs, then backed off 30 degrees or until the nearest keyway lined up with the keyway on the axle tube.
I did do one really stupid thing. As I installed the axle shafts I couldn't remember the torque specs on the axle flange bolts. As I looked online hastily I found 136 ft-lbs. I thought that was a lot, but okay. It seemed like it was waaaayyyy too much torque and it was. When torquing one of them I heard a snap and my gut sank. Another, more thorough search of the interwebs revealed the it's 96ft-lbs for the axle flange bolts :S I ordered all new bolts because surely they were now all over-stretched. While installing the new bolts I found I got lucky because the snap I heard was just the bolt cracking and when I gently removed it the whole thing came out. Whew!!!!!!
Note to self kids......find and verify all torque specs BEFORE starting the work to avoid headaches like these.
So far I see no leaks and everything looks fine. Hopefully this is the last time I have to deal with the hub seals.
KJ
4/30/18
I tore into the axle and found the seals I had previously installed seemed to be leak around the OD of the seal where it's pressed into the hub. No explanation for this because the axle vent tube was free and clear as well.
When I ordered the unitized seals I also bought the machined aluminum seal driver from Torque King 4X4 so I would get the seal installed square.
As I prepped for the work I decided to take extra precaution and go ahead and install new bearings and races in the hubs. Also, I bought an AAM factory finned, aluminum differential cover to help with heat dissipation.
When I installed the new seals I put a thin layer of RTV red (high temp) around the OD of the seal then installed it with the seal driver. Torque King advised to simply put a thin layer of grease on the axle spindle and then use the spindle nut to run it down into place.
After much searching I finally found pre-load specs for the spindle nut. I tightened them down to 22ft-lbs, then backed off 30 degrees or until the nearest keyway lined up with the keyway on the axle tube.
I did do one really stupid thing. As I installed the axle shafts I couldn't remember the torque specs on the axle flange bolts. As I looked online hastily I found 136 ft-lbs. I thought that was a lot, but okay. It seemed like it was waaaayyyy too much torque and it was. When torquing one of them I heard a snap and my gut sank. Another, more thorough search of the interwebs revealed the it's 96ft-lbs for the axle flange bolts :S I ordered all new bolts because surely they were now all over-stretched. While installing the new bolts I found I got lucky because the snap I heard was just the bolt cracking and when I gently removed it the whole thing came out. Whew!!!!!!
Note to self kids......find and verify all torque specs BEFORE starting the work to avoid headaches like these.
So far I see no leaks and everything looks fine. Hopefully this is the last time I have to deal with the hub seals.
KJ
