Im about to replace my ball joints but i have been reading about the undersized axle seal issue causing leaks almost immediately. Has there been a fix found or particular seal that is the correct size? My instinct is to go OEM but if they are to small then ill skip that. thanks.

 

If your axle seals are not presently leaking, do not replace them. I saw several threads regarding the mis-sized halfshaft seals. I have replaced the BJs twice on my D2, pulling the halfshafts each time. If you take extreme caution, you can get away with retaining the original seals. There is also the option of disconnecting the ABS harness and leaving the halfshafts in place but I have never done it that way. Just wipe/clean the original seal in the casing & spread a thin layer of grease on it before inserting the halfshaft back into place. If you are removing the halfshaft you will also be removing the ABS sensor from the wheel hub & you must be careful there too. When I am reassembling I add some of this lube not only to the halfshaft seal but also the top of the ABS sensor. Some people have had problems with ABS codes when removing that sensor but if you don't beat it up you shouldn't have an issue. The application of grease to transfer the signal from the ring to the sensor may or may not be required but in my opinion the sensor tip needs that particular type of grease in place. There is also a tiny Oring on that ABS sensor you will have to look for & keep up with; omission or loss of the ABS sensor Oring @ hub junction could also be a reason for people having problems with ABS faults.

Big FYI: I ordered a set of AllMakes BJ from L8 3 weeks ago. The lower replacement unit was good but the upper unit was undersized. I could actually take & insert the unit into the upper bore with my bare hand. I went & bought a $40 Import Direct unit from Oreillys Auto Parts as they were the only business who had the part in stock that Saturday; when I got back home it required every bit of the ball joint press to insert the unit into the bore. I called L8 & spoke to them, being detailed as possible. I was told that they use these very aftermarket units & never had this issue nor had any customers made a report. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only 1 who got a bad BJ so I figure this is a good time to share my experience on that so others are aware. Send me a message if you have any questions; I can tell you what you will need if using a universal BJ press, and other suggestions for getting through this R&R without hiccups. This is not the easiest nor most straightforward job but it's doable within a weekend if you can improvise on the fly as needed.

All of the info I came across on the web pointed to both the Genuine AND aftermarket halfshaft seals being improperly manufactured. Even if the issue was addressed by the manufacturers, that's not to say how many wholesalers & retailers continue to distribute the faulty Oil Seals.

 

I had the same seal issue with my Hummer H3 Alpha when I replaced both front CV's and the axle seals. I originally went with "National Oil Brand" seals that both my local auto part stores carried (had to order them). Upon getting everything back together and taking a test drive I noticed 80/90w leaking out of both sides. I figured I must have messed the seals up so I ordered two more (22.00 each...) and after all of that hard work removing almost the entire front end they did the same thing!!!!

I then read online that people were having issues with the aftermarket seals and to stick with AC Delco. I got online and ordered a set off of Amazon then did the entire tear down (was a pro by this time), and once it was all back together not a drop came out of those seals!

I wasted 88.00 on those National Oil Brand seals not to mention all the time tearing it apart again.

I bought a set of Tie Rod's for my D2 and they DID NOT fit. I was told my knuckle was worn & I called BS. I went out to my parts truck and for grins pulled it's OEM stuff off and test fit it. Zero issues and it tightened up properly. Then I took the new Tie Rod and tried it on the parts truck. It DID NOT fit.... I had to fight em at the parts store, but in the end I got my $$ back.

 

I have a set of MOOG Ball Joints I ordered from Rock Auto. I have always had good luck with moog. Ill attempt to reuse the OEM seal already in there if possible and I will look into the AC delco seals.

 

If you are using a universal ball joint press such as a rental from Oreillys, spring for the 4x4 adapter kit which is another $75 added to the deposit but has better fitting adapters. I still had to fashion an additional piece for the underside of the lower unit as it's difficult to seat a round adapter with the area you have to work with. I CNC-d a square adapter out of 1/4-inch plate with a hole in the center just large enough to clear the lower BJ. I stacked 3-4 of these on the bottom and pressed the joint out enough to get it going. The extra adapter set I mentioned also has a small piece perfect for reinserting the lower unit; the last couple times I used the end I cut off of a socket about 1/4-inch thick and kept in my bag for future use but thought I'd pass this info along to make the job easier for others so that you aren't having to cut up pipe and tools to get through this job in a weekend. You can't expect the adapters in a universal BJ press to fit every make & model so you end up having to engineer, re-engineer and modify all sorts of weird things which isn't always good as you can end up damaging the BJ or the grease boot which leads to another replacement before too long.

 

seems like its 50/50 on the ball joint kits working as is or having to tweak a few things. ill just have to play it by ear a reckon.