I'm replacing my rear shaft with a JE Reel 1310 HD kit (w/ yokes) and am wondering if the dust covers from the old yokes are required during the installation of the new ones... I can't for the life of me get the tcase dust cover to go on...I've beat on it until I'm afraid of messing it up, but can't make it slip on. And on the axle, the dust cover just spins, there's no tension, so driving down the road, I get this annoying sound. Anyone have any suggestions? Are these needed or can I scrap 'em? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I pried them off the old yokes...the axle fits, but not tightly (is currently spinning and making lots of noise - one reason why I'm wondering if they're necessary) and I can't get the tcase one on the new yoke to save my life.

 

The one on the rear diff was a challenge, but I got it on. The one going to the transfer case just sucked. I got the dust seal off, but it was very loose on the new flange. I didn't want it rattling around down there so I left it off. I read somewhere that the replacement flange didn't need the dust cover. At least I sort of remember reading that. I have a few thousand miles on it, but probably not enough to judge one way or the other.

 

So you've had no problems with fluid leaking from the tcase or axle? It looks like those covers kinda act as a seal too. But I can not get the tcase cover on the new yoke and the cover for the axle fits (loosely) but doesnt tighten down when the pinion nut is torqued, so it spins and makes an awful racket going down the road. I took it off to verify that that was indeed the source of the problem. I guess I'll leave it off, maybe call JE Reel on Monday and see what they say. I'm just worried it will leak (which I can see) or that water/mud will seep in somehow. Frustrated....

 

I'll go even worse. My flange did not fit on the output shaft of the transfer case! I was lucky I'd also bought the front so I could use that one until Jim sent me one that worked. Then I get the front one on, go through the box and there's no bolts! I was two wheel drive for a while until I got everything sorted out.

But back to your questions. No, nothing has leaked out, I check my fluids after every run and it still looks clean and clear (Mobil1.)