The right front axle seal on a 1998 Dodge Ram 4X4 can be difficult, because of limited access to the seal insertion site. That vehicle uses the popular Dana 44, 216FBI axle, used in many light trucks of that vintage. The seal fits into a small cavity in the 4WD shifter housing, and there is no room to swing a hammer or use conventional seal drivers. This video shows a simple method to reliably seat that seal. This video follows my other video describing how I replaced both front axle seals in the same vehicle.
Another viewer, Andy Harter, has commented that you can make your own seal driver by using a circular hole saw, about 2-2 1/4″, grinding off the teeth and using that to drag the seal into place. It sounds like a great idea, though I haven’t tried it myself. If you try it, please leave a remark here to say how it worked for you. Recently Jmwtedder did a couple of videos showing how this worked for him, here.
Note that he had to cut the hole saw down to a low profile before it would fit in the housing.
This video is made for entertainment purposes and is not to be construed as an instruction guide. I am not a professional mechanic, so you should bear in mind that a professional might have accomplished this task very differently. If you need advice regarding how to repair your vehicle, you should consult a qualified professional. Remember also to take all appropriate safety precautions, certainly use safety glasses, and remember to carefully test your brakes after any vehicle repair. If you attempt to repair your vehicle, then you do so at your own risk.
Post time: Jun-26-2017