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Have you double check that your axle vent tube/tubing is not clogged up? Some times mud daubers, road grim/mud/dirt get in there and clog them up at the very end. It normally makes the axle tube inner seals leak.
I may be wrong here but I thought the inner seals were before the plug welds.
Prolly shouldn"t be oil in the tube anyway.
I will have to look at mine to see for sure.....
Alex
Hey Gweedo,
Very nice shop and a great job on that truck.
I like a well organized, CLEAN project...and work area, as it always shows up in the final project completion.Either way..
Alex
I may be wrong here but I thought the inner seals were before the plug welds.
Yes, the seals are before the plugs. But they don’t keep fluid from seeping between the tube and the center housing. Just the I.D. of the tube itself.
I believe that’s how it’s laid out.
So do u think they seeping because they’re old. Are these replaceable if you know. I’m think not taking a chance on welding, rather drain it again, clean the plugs rough it up n jb weld it. Your thoughts?
I’ve never re-welded one, although that’s the typical recommendation. And probably best practice.
I have successfully sealed them with different things, including standard off the shelf sealer.
I think your original idea of JB Weld also would work in a pinch. If not, though, the silicone is easier to remove!
The silicon would also be an easy test. Clean it super good, maybe even tilt the differential up on that side so that that particular tube that you’re working on drains to the other side, then clean it good with spray cleaner, let it dry, coat it with something.
Rinse, repeat on the other side.
Another thing this will tell you, is when you tilt it up and see your lube coming out of the end of the other axle tube, you then know that, for a fact, your seals have failed.
Seen that too many times on old trucks. The good news however, is that those seals really do last a very long time.
I hope modern replacements are as good as the originals
gweedo,
I will only tell you what I would do if it was mine.
This will be a little work to accomplish but when finished you will have more of an idea how the oil is getting into the axle tube.
Pull wheels off and remove rotor, hub and all then pull axle out
Check inside tube to see how much oil is in housing.
Then I would proceed from there.
Either have to replace seals in diff or seal plugs.
I always like to find source of the problem I am trying to fix.
I believe you said the truck set for years,, and if maybe the top half of the seal got hardened and maybe got damaged when the axle was turned. Who knows?
Maybe even the top of axle got some rust build up just sitting thers for years
My GUESS it is the inner seals.. They are changable and a PITA but not hard..
Interesting:::; please keep us up to date if you will..
Alex
Yes, the seals are before the plugs. But they don’t keep fluid from seeping between the tube and the center housing. Just the I.D. of the tube itself.
I believe that’s how it’s laid out.
oneTon
After thinking a little bout this, isn't the seal machined area before the tube slip in area and the plug weld?
So the oil would have to make it past the seal fit, which is really tight to get into the tube?
Maybe Rich can post a diagram hard to remember xactly,, LOL
Have you double check that your axle vent tube/tubing is not clogged up? Some times mud daubers, road grim/mud/dirt get in there and clog them up at the very end. It normally makes the axle tube inner seals leak.
Have had this happen on more than one of my trucks in the "fleet" out here in Kalifornia we get the silk worms, any, and I mean ANY little hole they will fill with mud and clog it, had it happen on my 02 F350 DRW, my 98 Expy and on my 77 F150, cleaned out the vent hose, cleaned up the leak and they went away, except for my 77, the inner axle seal is shot I'm guessing from it going to long plugged.
Woops ah yes the inner seals are before (inside of the) the axle tube welds. And to the OP, NO those are not like freeze plugs. X2 you sure have turned that truck around, nice job.
Yeah pull the rubber line off, and shoot a little compressed air through it to make sure it's open all the way. And then very carefully stick like a piece of wire down through the metal fitting thats threaded in the housing to make sure that's not plugged.
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