Excessive play, cv joint at diff.

[fuseable]

I have a 2002 Liberty that has started leaking at the front diff. where the half shaft enters the diff. I just put a new seal in a year ago and it is leaking again. It seems that there is excessive play at the diff. Is there a bearing inside the diff that controls movement of the cv shaft, is it serviceable? Maybe I should clarify it is the drivers side half shaft that goes from the diff. to the front wheel, has excessive play at diff. Not the pinion.
thanks

 

[rockymountain]

Pinion bearing, yes. mine seeps enough to rust proof the area. LOL

 

[duderz7]

I have a 2002 Liberty that has started leaking at the front diff. where the half shaft enters the diff. I just put a new seal in a year ago and it is leaking again. It seems that there is excessive play at the diff. Is there a bearing inside the diff that controls movement of the cv shaft, is it serviceable? Maybe I should clarify it is the drivers side half shaft that goes from the diff. to the front wheel, has excessive play at diff. Not the pinion.
thanks

It's a male spline on the diff side of CV axle that pushes into the carrier, I believe those splines can wear and allow some slop. I think there's a bearing there too.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

There are bearings at each end just inside the diff that can wear out.

 

[Renedave]

The bearings inside the diff are the carrier bearings, and they don't just hold the axle shafts but hold the entire carrier in place. If they're gone you're looking at a regear since that amount of movement means you'll probably have wear between the ring and pinion gears.

But, since the only symptom is a leaky axle shaft I wouldn't think that's the problem. I would check the axle shaft CVs and wheel hub at the for wear and extra play, and possibly notch it up to the seal not being aligned correctly or abused too much on installation before I'd tear into the carrier.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Have the CV axles been replaced frequently?

Here's the bearing I was thinking about, they can cause play.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/...mCqvmEP2oFMQqeTSj__gcrvClBWj0FQxoC_3wQAvD_BwE

Right on the inside of the diff. Also, if it's an aftermarket seal that might be the life span. I went through 2 aftermarket seals in a month and then Mopar fixed it.

 

[Renedave]

Dang, I stand corrected - I see diff and don't think of anything but the center section. Yep, there's a bearing in the axle tubes that helps guide the axle shafts, part 22 on this drawing: https://www.4wheelparts.com/hardparts/HP_PartList.aspx?hpDID=141

As far as I recall there was more play than I expected where the axle shaft went into the housing on the driver's side, noticeably more than on the passenger side, but I didn't have any leaks.

The bearing is cheap enough I'd have one on hand with a bearing puller when you replace the seal again. You've already done 90% of the work to replace it anyway, and it's easy enough to inspect it and decide it it needs replacing while you have the seal out.

 

[u2slow]

The bearing is cheap enough I'd have one on hand with a bearing puller when you replace the seal again. You've already done 90% of the work to replace it anyway, and it's easy enough to inspect it and decide it it needs replacing while you have the seal out.

Agreed - not changing this bearing when you replace the shaft is a waste.

The stock 'bearing' is a plastic bushing. The genuine Spicer part is a caged needle bearing... very similar to what you find inside an old-school Dana 44/60 spindle.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Mine has the caged metal bearings - so when I did my seal I left it alone.

 

[rockymountain]

Can anyone that has done this recommend what tools you need to pull this bearing and replace it?
might be easy enough to just have a shop do it too I guess. I'm getting less and less eager to work on it.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

A shop charged me $120 for a Mopar seal and the labor to do it. Can't imagine the bearing would be more. If you have the metal one I'd leave it. I replaced the seal twice on my own and it leaked.

 

[u2slow]

Mine were really stuck. I had the front diff housing out, and carrier removed for locker install, so I drove it out with a socket and extensions from the opposite side.