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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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