Front strut housing question

[forrest411]

I have a 2002 Sportsman 400 and I'm tearing into the front end. I'm in the process of replacing the seals on the left strut housing and hub. The strut housing a bead of blue silcone that goes around the metal sleeve/seal that is pressed onto the housing. What is the purpose of this silicone? The seal that goes inside the hub rides on the sleeve so I don't see the purpose of the blue silicone. The reason I ask is because the silicone was a little torn up. Should I cut out and put a new bead of silicone on it or just leave it be??

Thanks in advance!

[forrest411]

Here is a picture of what I'm talking about

[polman500]

That "sleeve" is not only for the seal to run on, it is also the electromagnet to operate the 4x4. The silicone seals under it and around the tiny wires that run to it. Be very careful!! You're probably just seeing the ragged edges of the excess that squeezed out when that sleeve was installed. You might put a dab in the recess where the wires run in but I probably wouldn't worry about it unless you're getting water in the hub under the sleeve. Those things have to be set to very close tolerances in order to work properly. Those tiny wires are pretty fragile. If you break them up close where they can't be spliced back the sleeve or the whole strut housing has to be replaced and it's not easy or inexpensive.

[forrest411]

Thanks for the info. I tested the leads at the connector and I got a reading of 24ohms. I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere on here that 24ohms is what it should be reading so I think that the wires are good.

Thanks again