95 Cherokee-Trans leak

[dtsn280z]

I have a 95 Cherokee Sport 4.0/auto with about 118K on it. It's been leaking fluid for a while. It seems to be loosing more when I drive than it does sitting. When I stop for a minute or so, I notice a small (3-5 drop) spot under the vacinity where the DS goes into the rear of the trans. The rear hatch gets a light film of fluid on it as well.

What's the process and the difficulty level in replacing the seal?

Any other suggestions are appreciated as well.

Thanks for the help.

[Bobbywolf]

I think you mean where your rear drive shaft enters your transfercase. (unless your jeep is 2wd). It is actually a fairly simple job to do, and is a common problem. Simply remove your rear driveshaft, pull it out of the slip-yolk, and be sure to have a pan to catch the small amount of fluid that will leak out.

Then, using a seal puller or a screwdriver, remove the rear seal. Tap the new one back in its place with gentle taps of a hammer, reinstall the DS, and you are done. I have done it on a np231 transfercase, and it has taken all but 45 mins, and I'm slow.

GL!

EDIT: It is a good idea to get ahold of a manual, like a Chilton's or Haynes. They have pictures and will walk you through the process. You could also do a google search.

[dtsn280z]

It is 2 wheel drive and the leak appears to be around the drive shaft.

Thanks for the help.

[Bobbywolf]

Not a problem. I'm not sure of your transmission, but I beleive the rear seal replacement is very similar. Here is a diagram of a 2WD cherokee with the AW4 transmission:



As you can see, it is a similar procedure, similar, except you must remove a dust cover to get to the seal.

[dtsn280z]

Hey Thanks, That sums it up. I guess at this point I need to remove the drive shaft. I think there's a yolk assembly before the rear diff. Do I remove those bolts and then slide the shaft out? Do the same in reverse to finish?

Thanks again!

[Bobbywolf]

There are only 4 bolts (8mm I believe) that attach the rear drive shaft to the rear differential yolk. After these are out, and the little U-joint straps are removed, you simply give a pull to push the DS into the tail housing a bit and to remove it from the differential. Then you just remove the shaft from the tail housing by pulling on it. A small catch pan is a good idea as some fluid is likely to come out when you do this.

Good luck!

EDIT:

Tip: Be sure to tape your rear U-joint in your rear drive shaft, so that you do not accidentally knock off the bearing caps.

[brainyass]

I did mine and it was a mess. The seal was very difficult to remove with a screwdriver. I'd recommend getting a seal puller, but it's still a tight fit. If you can, take the seal with you to a parts store before you buy one. I had a couple of mismached ones from autozone that caused more headaches. I couldn't match them up until I received the new one in the mail, and after I removed the old one and destroyed it in the process. I tried the autozone one even though it didn't look like the old one. I thought, maybe it was an improved design. It was not the case and ended up putting the destroyed one back in. I was putting a qt of trans fluid every couple days. If you had stock in AAMACO, I'm sure you stock went up due to my "bulk" purchases. As long as you get the exact shape/design you are good to go. Get a big socket to tap it in flush and you should have no problems with any more leaks. After I went to the dealer and got my seal, my tranny is sealed tight.

[Bobbywolf]

Yea, that may be a very good idea. Dealer seals arn't much more than elsewhere, and they can check for sure which one you need using your vin number. I also went through a wrong seal, before getting the right one.

One thing to note is that seal designs do indeed change. Just because it doesn't look the same as the old one, doesn't mean its wrong. A seal puller makes life easier removing the old one though, for sure. GL!