gazi001

I replaced my old oem out put seal with beck/arnley when I replaced my driver side axle also. I got the seal leaking since then. If your seal leaks follow this directions:
1. Jack the car and put extra stands also.
1. First empty the ATF from pan and front differential (If AWD).
2. Remove the driver side tire.
3. Remove two bolts from holding the shocks (look pic red circled))
4. Remove brake calipar hose bolt from the body ( look pic) and speed sensor
5. Remove outer tie rod bolt (look pic)
6. Remove the bolt and lock ring from the hub that holds the axle. (Look pic with red circled by rotor).
7. Now add the bolt again little bit to the edge of axle by hub for not to damage the axle. Hit the nut by hammer little by little and remove from the hub.
8. Roll the axle by hand and try to push out or use the axle removal hammer. If you roll the axle it will make the lock easy to remove from the transmisson.
9. After axle removal you will see the seal and very carefully remove by flat screw driver.
10. Clean the seal area by cloths.
11. Install OEM out put axle seal. You could use old seal to push in new seal hit by small hammer around it little by little.
12. Now install the axle to the transmisson and make sure not to damage the seal. You push the axle in by facing the small lock open side down to the floor.
13. After you installed the axle check if it locked. Now put all bolts reverse way. Start the car and check the seal. You done.

gazi001

OEM seal installed and no leaks.

trhs75

Those are very clear pics. the process is a little more than I can handle myself, but interesting to see. Thank you for posting this, Gazi!

gazi001

You welcome. If you get a friend to help you will be very easy.

thomas1

make sure the locking clip is seated.....very important or the axle will try to walk outboard and make the seal leak. It is a little spring steel clip that sits in a groove around the input of the axle shaft. sometimes a good firm hit with a rubber mallet on the end of the axle shaft towards the transaxle is necessary....Great pictures and great writeup.

jimsRX300

Does anyone have the part number for this? I'm having a hard time with the diagrams online. Can't seem to figure it out.

salimshah

Few extra things I would recommend.

1. Start by cleaning the the side of transmission you will be working on.
2. New clip for the half shaft should be installed. Order that with the seal. [and drain plug crush washers if you plan to drain]
3. I prefer not to drain the transmission fluid and let it drip from the side of the seal that you remove. This helps the grime to flow out. I wipe it down and then drain fluid if needed.
4. When you pull out the old seal, examine the inside to ensure you have the sphincter (sorry cant figure out a better name) spring.
5. Take a fine Emery paper and go over the shaft where it will form a seal with the new seal. Not to grind the metal but to remove any grime.
6. Douse the new seal with transmission fluid before you try to install.
7. Douse the shaft tip all the way to the seal area with transmission fluid before you insert it back in.
8. IMHO it is a 2 ppl job. One to support the hub end and the other to guide the shaft. CV joints make the hole thing wobble.

Salim

PS: Jim, signup at Sewel. You can look at any part number there.

RX350DR

I think I have the same issue with a 2008 RX350. I am curious how you found out the seal was leaking.

In my case I saw what I thought was gear oil on the splash guard because it was black when I wiped it off. After looking around I only see fluid around the left side driveaxle seal. It appears to be dripping down from this area onto the splash guard.

My transmission fluid is nice and red so I don't quite understand why there would be dark fluid around the driveaxle seal.
No rips in the CV joints and transmission fluid is not low.

Only thing I can come up with is when the transmission fluid leaks out of the driveaxle seal it mixes with dirt, grime and air then turns to a darker color.

So that is why I am curious how you found the issue. Did you have a red puddle of transmission fluid somewhere or did it look darker than transmission fluid?

salimshah

The color turns dark with use.

Drip and loss in level is a sure way to find a leak. You will get grim build up if your loss is 4 drops in 10k miles. With this slow rate, it is better to leave it as is.

Salim

PaulDaisy

My RX-300 developed a left side axle seal leak just last week. The leak was apparent in that a puddle of ATF formed under the center of the car, especially when parked facing uphill. When you look under the car from the left you can see the wet side of the transaxle where the half-shaft comes out. I used a much simplified procedure to replace the seal, which minimizes disassembly (5 bolts total, no axle nut removal) and can be done with just three sockets, 21 mm, 17 mm and 10 mm. The advantage of this procedure is that none of the components affecting the front end alignment are touched, since the ball joint plate is self centering and only goes in in one position. Therefore, there is no need to re-align the front end.

1) Raise the front, both sides, place vehicle on stands under the longitudinal body frame channels. DO NOT work on vehicle just on the jacks!
2) Remove left front wheel.
3) Remove the cotter pin and the nut from the steering linkage tie rod. Put the nut back on a few turns, hit it from below with the sledge hammer to release the joint. Remove the nut and remove the joint, set it aside.
4) Remove 1 bolt and two socket nuts from the lower suspension arm to release the lower ball joint plate.
5) Using a pry bar inserted in one of the holes, lower the lower suspension arm to free the entire left front hub and strut assembly with the ball joint.
6) Using a 10 mm socket, remove bolt that holds the ABS wire bracket to the wheel well to allow more movement to the strut / hub assembly. The brake line is long enough to allow the necessary range of motion and does not need to be loosened anywhere.
7) While supporting the inboard CV joint with one hand, yank sharply on the hub to release the internal axle clip and disengage axle from the transmission. Make sure that the hub / rotor assembly is swung forward on the strut when doing this, so that the bolts of the ball joint plate don't hang up on the suspension arm. Pull out the splined end of the axle. Place the inner CV joint on the lower suspension subframe towards the firewall out of the way to access the seal.
8) Remove the old seal. Since its impossible to use a pry tool from the top due to the transaxle shape, you can use an angled allen key of suitable size to pry the seal out, using the internal transaxle sleeve as an anvil. If you have a slide hammer that will be even better.
9) Clean everything and install the new seal, lubricated well with the T-IV ATF. Since its near impossible to tap it into place straight in the confines of the area, I used a long pry bar, its other end reaching all the way out to the brake rotor, to tap seal's edges into place, going around the circle. Do not tap inside the dust lip, it will bend and damage the seal.
10) Clean and lubricate the axle seal interface surface with T-IV ATF. Align and insert the splined end of the axle into the transaxle. I didn't replace the clip. At this point you can turn the brake rotor by hand some and watch the other wheel: it should turn as well, indicating that the splines have properly engaged inside.
11) Move the entire hub/rotor assembly forward so that the ball joint clears the suspension arm, then grasping at the hub, gently shove the axle into the transaxle. It will click into place with very little effort. Move the axle into and out of the transmission gently, to make sure the clip has engaged the transmission spline. There should be a little bit of motion with a distinct stop.
12) Pry the suspension arm down, align the ball joint plate with the holes in the arm and install the bolt and the socket nuts. I applied medium strength thread locker since there was evidence of factory applied one. Tighten to 94 ft/lbs.
13) Install the steering linkage joint and tighten nut to 36 ft/lbs. Install the cotter pin. Reinstall ABS wire bracket to the wheel well.
14) Install the wheel. Lower the vehicle. Add ATF to level using the proper procedure (at idle, warmed up, shifted into all gears several times), test drive, verify that there is no leak. You are done.

-P