Anyone know why the inner axle seal was eliminated from the TJ Dana-44 rear? Old CJ's that came with the Dana-44 rear have both inner and outer axle seals.

The reason I'm curious is because I'm putting new outer seals in my TJ. The manual says to grease the outer bearing prior to installation.

On an off-camber surface with no inner seals, gear oil can flow through the axle tubes into the outer bearings. Wouldn't the gear oil "break down" the bearing grease?

It doesn't look like the normal level of the gear oil is sufficient to get to the outer bearings on a level surface.

Wassup?

my cj dana 44 doesnt have an inner seal like a dana30 front, but theres a seal on both sides of the bearing, the "inner" one is pretty small and I didnt even notice it for a while.

you sure its not there?

Definitely no inner seal. Plus, I looked at a Four Wheel Drive catalog, and their exploded view of the Dana 44 (probably bad luck to use the term exploded) shows CJ inner seals, but no TJ inner seals.

Originally posted by Glenn 98 TJ
Anyone know why the inner axle seal was eliminated from the TJ Dana-44 rear? Old CJ's that came with the Dana-44 rear have both inner and outer axle seals.

The reason I'm curious is because I'm putting new outer seals in my TJ. The manual says to grease the outer bearing prior to installation.

On an off-camber surface with no inner seals, gear oil can flow through the axle tubes into the outer bearings. Wouldn't the gear oil "break down" the bearing grease?

It doesn't look like the normal level of the gear oil is sufficient to get to the outer bearings on a level surface.

Wassup? in the front there is an inner....... in the rear ive never seen an inner, the oil lubes the outer bearings.... im thinking you may be confused. in fact im sure you are..... the reason you grease it is for install, helps the bearings before they get oil from initial instal, also helps to avoid premature seal failure..... the rear axles are "wet" all the time..... the front is not.

ohh just make sure you fill her up till fluid is comming out the fill plug... thats plenty.... :D

B.A.J.G.:

That makes sense for the TJ.

I wonder why CJ Dana-44's have the inner seal? I'm just going by what the 4 Wheel Drive catalog says. Maybe the catalog's f*cked up.

P.S. You going to the East Brady run on Feb. 17?

Originally posted by Glenn 98 TJ
B.A.J.G.:

That makes sense for the TJ.

I wonder why CJ Dana-44's have the inner seal? I'm just going by what the 4 Wheel Drive catalog says. Maybe the catalog's f*cked up.

P.S. You going to the East Brady run on Feb. 17?


hmmm i dont know if ill be together by then.... i just might..


front 44's yes they have an inner, caant say i ever heard of an inner in the rear

Scout II Dana 44 rearend's don't have an inner seal either.

i think the book is wrong , or your looking at the front end of something.....

I believe some versions of the Dana 44 rearend did use inner seals, as the Chilton manual says not to install one unless your rearend had one previously. Same bearings just greased instead? I think I prefer no inner seal, just top up the rearend, and your assured of lubed bearings.

Older D44 rears have a grease zerk by each outer bearing - and are not lubed by the diff oil. They also have inner and outer seals to keep the gear oil out of the brakes and the bearing grease.

some rearends DO have inner and outer axle seals. Scout 2 rear 44's DO have inner and outer. as do some jeep rears. They are not as I'm thinking you guys are expecting, at the differential. They are pressed into the flanged end of the housing just inboard of where the wheel bearing race is pressed in. The outer seal is behind the bearing on the axleshaft. frontends have the seals just outboard of the main bearing caps. No rearends do unless they were a frontend in their prior life. Most factory Ford 9's have only the outer seal, and is a main reason why ford 9"'s are so leak prone. When I built my 9" I added a seal location inboard and outboard of the wheel bearings, to isolate the bearings and oil and to further reduce gear oil leakage potential at the wheel end. Thems the facts, best as I know 'em!

I have an 86 CJ7/ the factory D44 rear. No inner seal. The
diff oil lubes the bearings. I have seen some of the older D44
rears that had a zerk fitting for the wheel bearing. These had
inner seals.

My 75 cj5 had inner seals. I wound up putting zerks near the bearings to make sure they would be greased all the time.

Kevo

My Scout II Dana 44 rear only has outer seals on the outside of the axle bearing. The bearings are lubed by the gear oil from the housing.

Tom