Hey guys,
I have an 02 Blazer, 4x4, LS
The front right axle seal is leaking diff fluid out the axle tube right behind the CV axle. I replaced the outer seal, the one on the end of the tube where the CV shaft slides into tube. Cleaned it up, and its leaking again just a few days later.

My question is, should I go for the inner seal on the inside of the axle tube now, or go back and redo the outer one?

I figured if the inner one were bad, it would be leaking from the inside between the tube and the diff. There was a small rust lip on the tube I didn't clean up, maybe it fudged up the new seal going in and i can try to replace it again.

 

Did that axle seal give you trouble coming out? I found this thread while looking for info on how to remove that outer seal from the tube on the passenger side.
Spent something like $12 on a seal puller from advance but i made a video showing it bending without affecting the seal.

https://youtu.be/p390KmK-KZI

needed more clearance so pulled the tube, the tube disconnected from the differential easy enough, 5 15mm bolts on the diff and 2 18mm holding the tube to the frame.

Dremelling through metal of the seal looks like it will work eventually, that piece has a lot of metal in it! The dremel is recharging and i hope to get this removed tonight, other threads seem to suggest it just slides right out, any tricks to getting this seal out?

 

It gave me a little bit of trouble coming out but not as much as you're having, took me about 5 minutes. I used the same style puller but I bought a Craftsman USA one, the handle is flat and it's a lot more robust. I didn't need to pull the tube I was able to fit the tool next to the output shaft.
You really buggered up that seal. I did find a little rust ring right outside where the seal sits, this may keep it from popping out. I would suggest a pry bar or something stronger since you have the clearance now. Seals can definitely be a tight fit but a long prybar and enough elbow grease will pop it out I promise. Be careful, there's a bearing behind the seal you don't want to fill it with debris from the dremel. Likewise don't hit it with a pry bar or seal puller.
I may pull my axle tube next time so I guarantee the seal goes in straight, did anything come out with the tube? Does anything fall out the backside of it?

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Used a pair of channel-locks to grab bits of the outside lip and eventually got it to lift out, pain in the neck but it's out, whew!
I saw a youtube vid where a guy used an indexing (adjustable-end) pry bar that worked great on that seal, dunno where he got it. There was only a slight amount of rust outside the seal on the tube but that could have been what made it so tough to pull.

Next time I'll go with a quality seal puller like a Craftsman, had i done so in the first place i would have left the tube on the diff and saved time.

​​​I bought a harbor freight slap hammer bearing puller for this job and the largest size puller in the kit, expanded ALL the way open, is JUST large enough to grab the bearing on the inside and it popped right out on the second wack.
Right, I probably wouldn't want to use a dremel if those needle bearing aren't being replaced.
The mating surfaces cleaned up nice with rubbing alcohol, new bearing tapped in with a socket, new seal with a square piece of firewood.

Yes some things came out of the diff when i removed the axle housing tube.
A "collar gear" i think it's called and also a large washer, gotta put those back correctly, i think the washer goes on first... Not sure yet
about to put a bead of rtv around the mating surfaces and bolt it all back up.

​​​​Vid shows what I'm looking at.
https://youtu.be/P6Vb1-mrSFs

 

Good to hear you got it all back together, hopefully I have time this week to redo mine. I appreciate the video I couldn't find a good illustration of this setup. Maybe I'll pull the tube and replace the bearing, I'm wondering if my cv axle is riding on a worn bearing and it's pulling down on the seal, Idk hopefully it's not the lift kit pulling down on the cv axle. Let me know how everything turns out.

 

Before i dove into all this, i was leaking increasingly more gear oil out from that seal area, i could also grab the cv and move it up and down at the tube, way more than my drivers side cv could wiggle. Figured bearing and seal made sense, now that it's all buttoned up it seems to have quit leaking and there's very little, almost no play between the cv tripot and axle tube.

i think the old cv was scored\pitted\not smooth right where the seal was making contact. Gotta look later.

The old bearing looked pretty good, replaced it anyways but it appeared ok.

New cv didn't want to slide over the clip, hammered it on, saw the drivers cv popped out an inch, used a pickle fork to pry new passenger cv back out, the c clip looked maybe a little bit too open and preventing the shaft from shifting over it, took the clip off and squeezed it down a litte for a tighter fit, new "Precision" cv still a real tight fit, 5 pound motivator popped it all together.

took a block of wood and tapped the drivers side tripot back in, 50 miles later and they're still in place and no leaks, 4hi and 4lo work.
Replaced wheel bearing and ball joints, much quieter now!

This could have been done a lot faster if i left the axle tube mounted to the diff.
I pulled the tube so i could get that seal out, if you can get the seal out without removing the tube that would save a lot of time messing with differential engagement gears.

It also saves time if you can remember which way your brake caliper hose was routed BEFORE tightening up the ball joints.

Celebrated this success with a new pitman and idler