pmergler

Thanks for the info, I have never done any work before on axle's hard ard is this...are there any write-ups on this or is it documented in a service manual somewhere?

Hellbound13

How can you tell if the rear bearings are going?

BlackNorthernJK

yup...just look back a page, included pics to....just need a jack, 18mm socket/wrench, and a 3/4" socket...

horwitzs

UPDATE: When they were replacing the seal for the 4th time, they said the driver's side was leaking slightly as well, so they replaced both. A week later, both leaking again!
Called Chrysler... was polite but very firm. Told them this is rediculous and has been an ongoing problem since well before warranty was up. After a few days they agreed that they would "help with the repair". What exactly that means I don't know yet.
Now the Jeep is torn apart at the dealership again. They still can't find anything to cause the problem. They are convinced the housing is fine, and they say the axles look straight (I don't know how they are checking all this stuff). They have sent a bunch of photos to their district manager along with a list of what they think might be causes (total guesses, in other words), and have been waiting 3 days for instructions on what to do.

pmergler

Wow, this seems like a potential re-occurring problem. Man since at this point I am out of warranty; maybe I should purchase an extended warranty? When is Chrysler going to own up that this is because of a design flaw. This many occurrances like this is ridiculous. Worse yet is that no one knows the problem! I don't want to drive a black hole of axle seal cost!

It sounds like the only success stories of this problem stopping is to have the whole axle assembly replaced.....

BlackNorthernJK

Stop. Put this into context here for a minute. Before you go wasting money on a "never really gonna cover you extended warranty" lets talk about this.
MOST seal problems people have been having are related primarily to the FRONT axle, not the rear. And if you research it a bit, most people have had these problems post gear install, or sleave install or whatever, and the post above you is a pretty extreme case of bad luck. (I do feel for horwitzs)
Most times these seals begin leaking because during the re-installation of the axle shafts, someone was careless and knocked the inner seal out of place resulting in the leak.
The rears are not designed the same as the fronts, they have an outer seal because lubricant needs to reach those bearings located at the outer end of the axle shaft. So it's a totally different system. And typically, either front or rear can be resolved fairly easily. In some cases, a simple replacement seal isn't going to solve this problem, but that's a lot more rare for the rear than the front in my opinion. The front axles have been having problems due to warped housings, or bent axle shafts, debris getting inside the tube and fouling the seals....some replacement axle shafts are actually slightly smaller than what the stock seals will seal, hence new seals are needed to accommodate these new shafts....you hear what I'm saying?
So...what I'm saying pmergler, is most likely you will be able to repair your leak with a simple seal change, and it will probably never bother you again....or at least for a long time....so if you still feel it necessary to get an extended warranty I guess go for it...but I (not being a mechanic at all) have had both my axles stripped apart by myself and put them both back together and still do not have a leak of any kind at 35000 miles, could be luck on my side, but mostly just a little knowledge and care

pmergler

BlackNorthern, believe me that I say I agree with your comment that there are rare cases with any capital asset, especially a car, when things break. Statistically some people get stuck with repairs and issues that are way below being common and it sucks for them. I think sharing of knowledge with this forum is an amazingly powerful consumer tool and glad it continues to strive. That being said, you have to appreciate my concern that after only 39k miles, my Jeep is facing real axle seal failure. Maybe I am just one of those unlucky sorts, but man...seal failure at 39k miles. That just doesn't seem "normal" with a solid design. Maybe it is just bad luck.......or maybe it is just faulty design work. If it is the later and I end up having a repair 3-4+ times (as multiple people have reported) that is a TON of $800 seal jobs (since I am out of warranty). Do I trust a dealership to make things right.....absolutely not. But this is the same reason that extended warranties CAN be good for some people with certain products. I had one with my RPTV and a subsequent DLP large screen projection. Neither product lasted more than 3 years. In both cases it was the extended warranty that allowed me to get my purchase price back to replace for a new TV. The manufacturer warranty would have had me paying $k's of dollars for a TV that lasted less than 3 years and then breaking beyond repair with no replacement parts avaible. The manufacturer solution would have been to go buy a new one. So I am not really willing to trust manufacturer warranties as they typically are stacked like the odds of a casino...in favor of the manufacturer.

BlackNorthernJK

OK. I'm glad you appreciate this consumer tool, it really is quite handy.
I'm just trying to help out. Maybe help someone save some coin in their pocket. Is it unreasonable that it failed at this time? No, not really. I noticed my parents 07 KJ's rear seal was bad and told them to get it sorted out, only about 32K miles on it, they've never taken it off road or towed a thing, they're old people and drive like it But there it was, passenger rear seal done. Bad run of seals maybe? Inspector #12 failed to make sure they were properly seated, I don't know. Here I've beaten mine offroad, hauled about a ton with it, ripped 'em apart and still no problems ...I don't know...all I'm trying to say is, your out of warranty right? The price they're quoting you is out of this world for this job, I mean really outta this world! You can have this completed at an absolute fraction of the cost if your willing to get a little grease on your hands.
I don't know what it's going to cost you for an extended warranty, but if it's something you prefer than that's cool, I'm just trying to present options.

edit : OK, I hear what your saying now, not so much you getting an extended, but others...well, I still personally can't support extended warranties. In the consumer driven market we live in, I know that many manufacturers deliberately design parts to fail at a given point..typically just after warranty is up, but I take this into account when purchasing something and just deal with it...that's why I've learned to do all my own repairs, and am quite content to do so...that way I know its done right too. I still have my old beast of a projection tv, so I can't comment on television warranties still works for me, i'm happy

edit : looking through your posts I see that you've been towing 3500+ lbs, with 34" tires ...could be a good reason why your bearings are done, that's alot of extra load on them, regardless of whether you believe they should last forever or not, both your seals and bearings are being subjected to tones of friction and will inevitably wear, that's 39K miles of wear plus however much extra the add-ons contributed. Have you changed your diff lube during it's life?
A quick search of some of our online vendors shows me that for the price they're quoting you, you could completely upgrade your axles for complete new ones, both sides for that price!

horwitzs

Thanks for your sympathy.
I have sleeves and gussets still in the boxes in the garage... waiting to install until this gets sorted out.
The only mods I've done that are axle related are going from 32 to 35" tires. And that was done after leaks started.
I did just have a new lift put on that required wheel spacers to keep from rubbing in the back (so we did front also so it wouldn't look goofy). I can't wait for them to say the spacers caused it... then I can ask them to explain that to me since the spacers have only been on there for 5 days.

BlackNorthernJK

yeah...this situation does suck, and unfortunately all my sympathy won't get you a new axle housing. I cetainly hope they come to their senses and get this sorted out for you. Best of luck.