I replaced the inner seal because I've had the axle in and out so many times, just wanted to make sure. Changed the axle with a newer reman, again just to be sure. Measured it against my old OE shaft and it matched, as did the first one. Put it all back together leaving the outer circlip off. Parked it outside facing downhill in the driveway. Came out the next morning to find it had leaked enough to leave a nice streak on the concrete. Crap thought I. Oh well, I'm by gawd goin wheelin today. So I checked the fluid level and it was still ok. Threw some dope in the back and rolled out.

After a couple miles on the first trail, stopped and checked and it was dry and the axle was still home. Proceeded to wheel the piss out of it on everything gnarly I could find, checking every so often. Never popped out or leaked. The only thing I could figure about the leak before I left is that I rolled the lip on the seal and it straightened itself out when in 4wd. Weird. Anyway, no leak and the axle is still home for now.

Sounds good Larry, but is this legal?

"Threw some dope in the back and rolled out." <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

So long as you don't get caught...

so clearify for me....your still running without a circlip???

Post deleted by hazy_daze

Correct. No outer circlip. No harm thus far...

Thanks for the clearification.
I was picturing you running without the clip on the axle that is inside the diff.
I never trusted and was unsure of my installation of shimms under that c clip at the hub. I guess maybe those aren't really that important. Maybe those shimms are important for Auto Hubs or something else I'm unaware of.