I am getting ready to change the drivers side front axle seal on my 04 Ram 2500. I have not done this before and was wondering if anyone with experience with these knows if I have to pull both the drivers and passenger side axles out to change this, or if I can just pull the drivers side axle out and get to it. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you

 

I'm not sure what year they switched from the Dana axles, but if your 04 has the same AAM 9.25 front axle as my 2005 those seals might be harder to replace than you think. With an AAM 9.25 you need to drain the diff, pull the inner axle shafts out (both sides), remove the carriage from the diff. housing, and use a special driver to install the new seals from inside the diff. To much work to only do one side, do them both. I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you are comfortable working on differentials, and i would add that you can easily damage the new seals if not careful to drive them in straight. Also, make sure to clean out the axle tubes really well and be careful putting the axle shafts back in.

 

grease up the axle shaft ends before re-inserting them.....and make sure u got got at least 3/4 of a day to do this.......have fun....been there

 

Thats what I was affraid of. Thanks for the info

 

You have to pull both axles and then the differential as the seals get driven from the inside out into the tubes. Mine weren't leaking but I changed them when I was doing my 4:10 gears. I had a lot of help and guidance that day from a good buddy of mine who owns a differential shop. Still to do just the front it would take you at least 5 hours and at least a 12 pack. If your front end has never been apart, getting the hubs off and re-setting the differential would be the most difficult things.

I do all my own work, but if it wasn't for my buddy, I would not have tried it strictly because of the differential having to be taken out.

JR

 

When filling diff. with gear oil, keep level 1/4 inch from bottom of fill hole. If you fill it to the top it will leak thur axel seal. That is a tech note from Mopar.