They are, they're inside and you have to remove the axles and pull the carrier out. They make special tools to install them but if you have big sockets and long extensions you can do it without anything else. There are several good YouTube vids on the procedure, I would look at the best seals you can buy (I like the two piece seals where the rotating seal is done inside of the seal instead of on the axles surface).

Be prepared to deal with a gritty mess inside the axle tube you need to get clean before you slide the axle along its bottom (you don't want to push that crud towards the center section).

It's not a terrible job but surprisingly expensive to buy all those seals (Knuckle / Axle / Dust). Before you start though, give a careful look at the Diff Vent. If clogged, it could be the cause of the leaking

 

I just did mine a couple weeks ago and posted on it, it's more of a process tearing everything apart and cleaning up the inside of the tubes. Just get a 3) 12" speed torq bits and a 3" wire wheel (grind down to 2.75") and hone out the tubes. I purchased a driver from Accurate Diesel instead of the press type tool, I was happy with it.

Ditto on the youtube videos, they're good guidance...

 

Completed Front Diff Inner Axle Seal Replacement

Hi All! Finally getting around to posting pics of my inner seal replacement after finding oil seeping out of the dust boot on the passenger side axle tube. Overall wasn't too bad of a job. I ended up buying the seal installer from Accurate Diesel which you drive the seal in with versus press it...

www.powerstroke.org

 

Thanks. When you put the carrier back in, aren't you supposed to use new shims and stuff to set it back up?

 

No, just put back what was there, you want to take careful note of where, and in what position, everything was when you took it apart...

As an alternative to wire brushing the entire tube, I wash out the crud as best I can but made a 2" wide strip of EPDM (rubber roofing) and slid it all the way in for the axle to slide on (and pulled it out as soon as the splines "rode-up" into the seal.

 

you put it back the exact same way it came out to avoid having to re set up "EXACT"

 

No shimming at all. Just take a punch and mark the collars on each side so you know exactly how they go back together. Check out some YouTube videos and you’ll be just fine!

 

I know its been a while since I posted this, but I'm finally getting around to tackling this project and have a question. What is the part number for the seal that goes in the knuckle. From what I have gathered, the part number for the inner seal by the carrier is National 710492, the dust seal at the end of the axle tube is National 710413. I've spent the last hour and have not found the number for the last seal.

For clarity, I am looking for the part number of the seal the gets driven on to the axle shift before insertion with the big tool (usually OTC 6695), then gets driven into the knuckle as you are nearing the end of putting the shaft back in. I believe it's referred to as a vacuum seal? Whatever it is, I need that number.

 

Based on what I've seen, Spicer part number 2019816 is the inner seal, equivalent to the National 710492. Correct?

 

This is what I'm looking at for the inner seals.

Amazon.com: SPICER AXLE INNER TUBE SEAL FOR FORD SUPER DUTY F250 F350 DANA 50/60: Automotive

Buy SPICER AXLE INNER TUBE SEAL FOR FORD SUPER DUTY F250 F350 DANA 50/60: Axle Shaft - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

.

And I'm assuming this is the dust seal at the end of the tube and the knuckle seal I'm asking about.

Amazon.com: FORD 1998-2004 F250 F350 SUPERDUTY DANA 50/60 FRONT AXLE KNUCKLE/TUBE SEAL KIT: Automotive

Buy FORD 1998-2004 F250 F350 SUPERDUTY DANA 50/60 FRONT AXLE KNUCKLE/TUBE SEAL KIT: Axle Shaft - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Are those what I need?

 

This is what I'm looking at for the inner seals.

http://[URL]https://www.amazon.com/...w.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DGZCM3S/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A1PGRYUW960RI9&psc=1

[/URL].

And I'm assuming this is the dust seal at the end of the tube and the knuckle seal I'm asking about.

http://[URL]https://www.amazon.com/...w.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00UTD73X0/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?smid=A1PGRYUW960RI9&psc=1

[/URL]

Are those what I need?

Jake the 710492 seals go in the pumpkin, the 710413 are the crappy dust seals around the axle tube, the 710494 are the vacuum seals that you need.

Seal Kit Ford Super Duty F350 F250 Dana 50 or 60 Outer Axle Yoke Shaft 99 to 04 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Seal Kit Ford Super Duty F350 F250 Dana 50 or 60 Outer Axle Yoke Shaft 99 to 04 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

Thanks. Parts will be here Tuesday. And special tools.

 

To drive that Knuckle Seal, you'll need to use something to get it in straight & seated. OTC makes a driver but it's actually pretty easy to make one from plumbing parts (a flange/nipple/cap).

As I said in post #2 here, the seals can be driven with large sockets and extensions if you have them (a little creativity and I'm sure you could make something if you don't )

The money it would cost to buy these tool, and for what might be a single use, seems like a waste you can avoid. If you're mechanically inclined enough to do this job it shouldn't be too difficult to do without them, just not as quickly.... (pro's get paid for their time and do the same job over & over again, it's they who really need to buy those kind of tools)

 

Good deal. Which tools did you order?

 

I bought both seal driver things. I figure for the $150ish it cost its worth it to get things in correctly and without damage. The truck im currently doing this on is my work truck so if I damage a seal on installation, the down time to have to do the job again is way more costly than $150. I have another truck and quite a few friends that have similar trucks so they'll likely get used again at some point.

 

This whitish plastic ring thingy, I assume that is to help guide the axle shaft into the carrier. My question is, is this supposed to be near the end of the tube on the passenger side like this is, or is it supposed to be up near the carrier like it is on the driver side?

I feel like it's supposed to be by the carrier. I had some difficulty getting the passenger side shaft out and I feel like this is why. I just got the carrier out and noticed there was no seal there like there was on the driver side,

it appears it stuck to the axle shaft when I pulled it out, and I assume dragging this plastic piece with it until near the end where it finally came off.

 

Yes, you're right-on. When you withdrew the axle it dragged out from its normal position at the other end of the tube. You're right as to its purpose too, it aids in lifting the splined-end into the center (this is how I use that 2" strip of EPDM, up to that collar so the axle's spline end could slide cleanly along the bottom of the tube until it meets with it and goes up, thru, centered, into the new seal).

 

lots of axles do not even have that " guide ramp "
and IME it will work to keep the splines from dredging up junk just about anyplace it sits in the tube
so you can hold the spline end up by pivoting off that just have to be extra careful when you get to the seal unless you can get it slid back and you probably can

 

I knocked it the rest of the way out, as well as the one on the driver side, cleaned them, cleaned the tubes up (so clean you could about put your pee pee in there) and reinstalled them and the inner seals in the proper location. Now I'm just waiting on the other seals to arrive so I can finish this stupid job.

 

Well my seals FINALLY came in. Got everything back together and immediately drove several hundred miles to new jersey. Everything is doing good so far.

Thanks for the help guys.