dana 35 removal.

[pillen140]

today was the first "dry" day ive looked under the truck, and guess what, my front diff is now leaking! im glad i looked again. not leaking much but i hate anything leaking. any body know if you gotta take the front axles out before removing the diff? if i remember right there is a plate you have to take off behind the brake rotor, is that the only thing holding the front diff in besides the bolts and driveshaft? ive done rear diffs a hundred times but never a front. does it have a gasket or just rtv?

 

[4x4junkie]

No gasket (RTV)

You remove the wheels>hubs>calipers>rotors>spindles, then pull the shafts out (the passengerside will need to be seperated at the slip-yoke, the inner shaft has a clip inside the diff holding it). Then undo the 10 bolts on the front, + 1 bolt behind the driverside radius arm and it should pop right off (the bolt behind the arm can be a PITA, sometimes grinding the bolt head into a "D" shape will allow you to wiggle it out past the radius arm).


BTW, if it's an AXLE seal that's leaking, you shouldn't have to pull the whole diff off to replace it.

 

[CTswampyankee]

I agree on PITA!!!!!! That 1 bolt is in a dumb spot. I just started to remove mine to install lower 4.10s today. Every thine els is verry easy. Took me bout 2 hours from time i drove the truck in to the time i was yelling at that 1bolt haha. (beer was involved) This is also a good time to replace all your u joints. I think grinding the end of it will work an i will try that first tomarow.

 

[pillen140]

thanks for the help, its not leaking very much, more of a seaping, maybe i should wait because im looking for a set of 4.10 anyway. i dont want to do it twice.

 

[jdunlop77]

ive never swore at anyone/thing more than i did at that bolt, i just cut the bastard out i was so pissed. frustration made everything worse so just take your time and do it the right way (unlike me). but like 4x4junkie said check the axle seals, i had the seals and the diff leaking but the seals are pretty easy to do. and if your getting new gears, definately wait and do it once, mine was leaking for 6 months i just kept filling it with fluid when needed.

 

[CTswampyankee]

I looked at mine just now an found i need to move the raidois arm out of the way. The bolt is to far inward under the arm on my truck to just grind off the side of it. But other than that 1 bolt its very easy to get to this point

 

[4x4junkie]

Once you do get that bolt out, put it back in from below. It goes in a little easier that way (it's not quite as close to the RA).

 

[pillen140]

unfortunatly its not the axle seals. (crap), thanks for the help