M880 steering knuckle inner oil seal # needed

[carter davidson]

I found that my 1977 M880's Dana 44 was missing the inner oil seal when I disassembled it to replace the bearings and the axle universal joint. Someone had failed to install the seal and I am unable to locate a replacement without a part number. No wonder the bearings were going bad, water had gotten in and rusted them and most of the grease was missing. I know how to grease the front bearings thru the hole in the hub but without a seal it doesn't stick around long. I tried NAPA and several local parts houses with no luck, they have no listing for it, also called the largest Dodge dealer locally and was told they don't have books that go back to 77. Also phoned Memphis Equip. and VPW with no luck and don't know who else to check with about it and don't want to take the other side apart to get a number off the seal unless I have to. Can anyone help me out with a number or a source for the seal?
Thanks, Carter

[74w300uteline]

saturn surplus

try Saturn Surplus in PA

[carter davidson]

Thanks, I forgot about them, I'll call today and see if they can help.

[DODGEBOYS]

l,ll post the part number tonight

NOTE / l do have just about every year dodge truck PARTS books for sale

[carter davidson]

Saturn was no help but I posted the same question on another site and was able to find out that the outer and inner seal are the same, Chicago Rawhide # 26153 so I went back to NAPA and got 2.
Thanks everyone for the help.
I made a seal driver from the race of the old and damaged wheel bearing, an 8" length of 2" dia. pipe and a steel plate with a hole I cut on the lathe all welded together so it would slip over the axle stub and was able to fit the seal I had into the knuckle after I cleaned up the burrs someone had left as a result on careless work, not me!
I have it all back together now, the truck is back on it's wheels, ready for a test drive today.
Cost: Wheel bearing and spacer set, $94.37 2 Seals, $31.98 Axle U joint kit, $26.69 Total: $ 153.04 plus what shop consumables used like RTV, parts cleaner ect.
I wonder what the labor would be from a garage if the work would have been done my someone else.

[74w300uteline]

saw you

over on Steel Soldiers. My handle over there is 77m884. NJ labor calculator; parts cost X 3 = labor cost,or 90$ per hour which ever is greater. YiIKES! not including paper mat on floor thats extra, but grease stains on seats and scratches on paint are free.

[carter davidson]

I needed help with this one, I am very well informed on M37s which I have been working on since I got my first one in 1972 but the M880 is a different set-up and having never done any front end work on a Dana 44 I needed some guidance.
If I understand correctly, the total for what I did to the truck would have been over $600 for parts and labor, not counting the paper mats : )
No wonder YIKES. Glad I can do this kind of stuff. Just did brakes on my wifes Hundai, new rotors, calipers, pads and flex hoses and mounting parts kits, $316/parts X 3 labor= $1264, can that be correct? Or am I mis-understanding the concept.

[74w300uteline]

nj is full of

crooks and theives. honest mechanics are like gold up here. we just had a bunch of mayors, councilmen and other public serpents arrested by the FBI.