{"id":1480,"date":"2026-02-04T23:06:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T07:06:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nickpisca.com\/diesel\/?p=1480"},"modified":"2026-02-04T23:06:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T07:06:03","slug":"dana-44-front-axle-seals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nickpisca.com\/diesel\/suspension\/dana-44-front-axle-seals\/","title":{"rendered":"Dana 44 Front Axle Seals"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ll give this article my seal of approval.<\/p>\n

While doing about 44 other things simultaneously on the Dana 44 front axle install for my 1988 E250 van, I somehow managed to change out all the seals on the differential housing with minimal photos.<\/p>\n

This isn’t really a fancy how-to about seals, but it’s still important that while we got all this crap apart, maybe invest in new seals.\u00a0 The old seals are likely from the original 1979 F250 donor truck.<\/p>\n

So I’m starting this article with the diff already disassembled.\u00a0 If you are looking for how I did that, check this article out<\/a>.\u00a0 There are some important things you need to do before ripping the differential pinion and ring gear and carrier out, like labeling things, so check out the previous article.<\/p>\n

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There are two races (for the bearings) in the sides of the housing, and they just drop out.\u00a0 Be careful with them, you don’t want to scratch them if you are reusing them.\u00a0 Behind the races, there are seals.<\/p>\n

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There is a left and right seal, but they are identical.\u00a0 \u00a0They are just snug-fit into place.\u00a0 They make fancy tools for extracting and installing these seals, but you don’t need any of that.\u00a0 Just get all the socket extentions you have and your 1-3\/16″ socket.\u00a0 From the wheel-end of the axle, run your 3-ft-long extension combo and fat socket.\u00a0 Push the socket up to the seal.<\/p>\n

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Then use a hammer to tap it into the diff housing.\u00a0 It shouldn’t take much effort.<\/p>\n

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My socket came in with a buttload of rust.\u00a0 Both old seals landed inside the diff housing and I grabbed them to check out my replacements.\u00a0 I bought a bunch.<\/p>\n

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The old axle shaft seal (left), Axle Shaft Seal: NATIONAL 5131 (middle) (Returned. Didn\u2019t use), Axle Shaft Seal. WJB \/ INMOTION PARTS WS5131 (right). I used the orange seal.<\/p><\/div>\n