the issue is you may be setting yourself up for a new axle period, the seal goes bad the bearing goes bad and than wears a groove in the axle. At that point you HAVE to change the axle. Money may be tight, but I would rather come up with less than $50 now vs a few hundred later.
Ask me how I know !!! (not literately)
So...
How do you know?
Seriously though... I take your point, but I think I wasn't clear... I can afford the repair, but not a failed axle. The repair itself has been put off because I don't trust any of the shops around here... the joy of living in a small town.
As for the problem at hand, it's only losing an ounce or two of fluid a month, it's been consistent and I've been on top of it.
Now that I've been getting my hands dirty myself, I'm slowly building the confidence that I'll need to do this on my own. Watching several videos and reading a few write-ups, I know I can do this.. just a matter of finding someone with a press. I don't think I'll use any of the alternative methods I've read about.
Question... what other vehicles would I find compatible D44 axle shafts? It might be easier for me to get a set from a junkyard or donor, put new seals and bearings on them, then do the swapout... then I could re-do mine as spares for whenever I get around to some (more) serious wheeling.
Question 2... I'm still learning some of the vocab... but if I'm going to tear into the axle, I'm thinking I should just do it all the way. Does this
rebuild kit look like it has everything? Does the seller have a decent rep?
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Yesterday's work involved diagnosing a blown 400W amp and a blown rear speaker. Disconnected the rears, bridged 3+4 on the main amp to a single 10" sub to get some decent sound running again, though I'm not sure I like not having part of the sound stage behind me... to be sure, I won't hear any grinding from my axle should the bearing run dry