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Fixing a Leaky Jeep CJ AMC20
Inner Axle Oil Seal


If you are a CJ owner with an AMC20 rear axle, sooner or later yours will start to leak. Left unchecked, this leak will eventually saturate your brake shoes and make the marginal braking abilities your Jeep has even worse.

Fixing this leak is not as hard as some would suggest and does not require you to pull any hubs or press on any bearings. More likely than not, the reason why your axle is leaking is because your inner seal has gone bad. You will not need to address your outer axle oil seal for this repair.

What You Need
• Inner Axle Oil Seal
• SAE Sockets/Wrenches
• Large Diameter Socket (diameter of oil seal)
• Ratchet
• Torque Wrench
• Oil Seal Puller
• Floor Jack
• (2) Jack Stands
• Wheel Chocks
• Wheel Bearing Grease
• High Temp RTV


What to Do
1. Chock your front wheel, jack up the rear end of your Jeep from the differential and set your axle back down on jack stands.

2. Remove the wheel on the side of your axle where the leak is occuring.

3. Makes sure your e-brake is not on and then pull your brake drum off. You may need to give it a slight tap on the back edge with a hammer to loosen it.

4. Disconnect your brake line and then remove the 4 bolts that hold the backing plate onto the axle.

5. Un-hinge your e-brake from the equalizer and then pull the whole thing out of the axle shaft (brake assembly, axle rod, hub, backing plate, everything).

6. Remove race in axle shaft if one is present.

7. Using an oil seal puller that you can pick up at Autozone for about $4, carefully pry out your inner axle oil seal. DO NOT USE a screwdriver or other tool that might scratch or score the inside of the axle shaft.

8. Place the new seal just inside the axle housing and then using a wide socket (wide enough to fit over the diameter of the seal) lightly hammer the new seal in. The socket will help you to get the seal in strait without bending or damaging the tube.

9. Using a high temp RTV, apply a small amount around the edge where your oil seal and axle housing make contact.

10. While you are at it, apply some axle grease to your wheel bearings and then carefully slide everything back into your axle housing.

11. Re-bolt the axle to the backing plate, connect your e-brake and brake line. Torque bolts to manufacture specs.

12. Bleed your brakes.

That's it! You've just fixed your leaky oil seal :)

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