XJ Dana 44 on an '84 Cj7 leaking past the hub . . .

[ParsonMac]

I've got an '84 CJ7 with a rear Dana 44 from a 87 Cherokee XJ w/disks and and ARB locker. I noticed diff fluid dripping from the brake dust cover and an accumulation of it in the inside of the rim. I assume it's a seal? Where is it located and how difficult are these to replace? How is the axle secured to the locker (if at all) or is it secured via the retainer on the hub end?

 

[BusaDave9]

It's the axle shaft seal. You have to remove the axle shaft to replace it. Try RockAuto.com or a local auto parts store.

 

[Incommando]

This is a pretty simple repair as on a Dana 44 the axle is retained by 4 external bolts. There is no need to miss with the diff or even remove the cover. Unbolt the 4 bolts, pull the axle out, pop out the seal & replace, reverse to put it back together. Sometimes the axles can be a bit stubborn. Folks have turned the drum around and re-attached it to the flange using a couple of lug nuts & that gave a better surface to pull on when removing the axle shaft. Don't see why it wouldn't work with a disc if it needed a bit of persuasion to come out??