Leaking Rear End
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 458
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Leaking Rear End
I already posted this in the other section, but this section gets alot more responses and I'd like to get some input tonight as I'm not sure if I can drive my truck to work in the morning.
I went out and seen a small puddle under the rear diff it looks like its leaking right where the drive shaft goes into the diff. Can I drive it to work or will I tear something up. Last time I drove it it was fine no noises or anything. Wheres the fill hole so i can add more? What oil/fluid do I add? Its the stock 9" as far as I know. I'll have a pic up here in a few minutes.
This is really frustrating I just got the truck running GREAT I sure hope its a cheap fix my wife is really starting to hate this truck. She'll really hate it if she has to take me to work in the morning.
I went out and seen a small puddle under the rear diff it looks like its leaking right where the drive shaft goes into the diff. Can I drive it to work or will I tear something up. Last time I drove it it was fine no noises or anything. Wheres the fill hole so i can add more? What oil/fluid do I add? Its the stock 9" as far as I know. I'll have a pic up here in a few minutes.
This is really frustrating I just got the truck running GREAT I sure hope its a cheap fix my wife is really starting to hate this truck. She'll really hate it if she has to take me to work in the morning.
Save the old ones
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 666
Likes: 4
From: Boyne Mich
I've seen then run for years soaked in Gear lube. But here are a few things to check.
1. Stop by the nearest parts store and get a quart of 85/90 wt gear lube. Pull the plug out of side and squeeze it in until it is up to the level of the plug hole.
2. Check the vent tube to make sure it is not pluged up. Insects like mud dobber wasps love to plug the vent tube and then they can blow oil out the easiest seal. The air heats up under normal conditions and expands.
3. After driving about 10 minutes or so, crawl under and put your hand on the housing area around where the drive shaft goes in, the pinion area. It should be warm but not Hot. Hot is bad. Hot doesn't live long. Some peole do this to trailer hubs as well in order to see if the bearing are getting hot.
4. Grab the drive shaft by the rear ujoint area and try to push in and out of the rearend. There should not be any forward and aft movement. Also try side to side. Any movement here and the pinion bearing lost thier pre-load.
Glowling is Bad.
If you never rebuilt a rear-end before get some one who has. All the bearings and seals run about buck & 1/2 another buck & 1/2 if you need gears too. Not sure about the labor, I did my own.
Good luck.
1. Stop by the nearest parts store and get a quart of 85/90 wt gear lube. Pull the plug out of side and squeeze it in until it is up to the level of the plug hole.
2. Check the vent tube to make sure it is not pluged up. Insects like mud dobber wasps love to plug the vent tube and then they can blow oil out the easiest seal. The air heats up under normal conditions and expands.
3. After driving about 10 minutes or so, crawl under and put your hand on the housing area around where the drive shaft goes in, the pinion area. It should be warm but not Hot. Hot is bad. Hot doesn't live long. Some peole do this to trailer hubs as well in order to see if the bearing are getting hot.
4. Grab the drive shaft by the rear ujoint area and try to push in and out of the rearend. There should not be any forward and aft movement. Also try side to side. Any movement here and the pinion bearing lost thier pre-load.
Glowling is Bad.
If you never rebuilt a rear-end before get some one who has. All the bearings and seals run about buck & 1/2 another buck & 1/2 if you need gears too. Not sure about the labor, I did my own.
Good luck.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
i had the same problem a few years back and it was the pinion seal. the seal itself is, of course, inexpensive, and an hour of labor at your local shop should fix you up. i think it cost me a total of 70 bucks. the fill hole on the nine inch is on the driver side above drive shaft level. use the end of the socket wrench to get it out and add alittle if it will make you feel better. good luck!
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Senior User
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OK thanks alot I guess I will drive just a few miles and if its not hot to the touch then its probably just a bad seal, but if it is hot to the touch then I got worse problems, right? My shop here in town charges 70 bucks an hour
but they seem pretty honest as far as how long things take. Good thing I dont work there it took me about 8 hours to swap out my water pump
Wheres the vent tube and whats it look like?
Heres a link to a pic if it makes any difference.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/wyazel1/reardiff.jpg
but they seem pretty honest as far as how long things take. Good thing I dont work there it took me about 8 hours to swap out my water pump Wheres the vent tube and whats it look like?
Heres a link to a pic if it makes any difference.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/wyazel1/reardiff.jpg
Last edited by wyazel1; May 13, 2007 at 10:19 PM.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 821
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From: hohenwald, tn
my wife also hates my 83 ranger, and the 76 f350 parts truck i bought. she asked yesterday when it would be gone, it was supposed to be a short timer.
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 688
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From: Elk Point; Alberta
boys love their toys and wives hate our junk --- its a law of nature 
as for your leak --- if it really worries you add something like Lucas Oil Treatment (make sure its the diff additive) and that will slow your leak till you get it fixed
as for your leak --- if it really worries you add something like Lucas Oil Treatment (make sure its the diff additive) and that will slow your leak till you get it fixed
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Joined: Jan 2008
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One things users can do rather than post a non-related 73-79 truck topic and help build the system specific forums is to just make post stating that you mhave made a post there and of any one can help please visit that forum .....then supply the link.
That way... no multiposting is done...you are relating to the regular users of this forum.... and non-73 -79 related topics go where they are best served.
It's a win win situation.
That way... no multiposting is done...you are relating to the regular users of this forum.... and non-73 -79 related topics go where they are best served.
It's a win win situation.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
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Thanks for the advice, the shop quoted me "$100 or less" to replace that seal so I think I'm gonna have him go ahead and change fluid in both differentials while he's at it. Is there anything else I should tell him to do or not to do or to look for in particular?
New User
Joined: Jan 2009
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i have a question about the actual rear seal
i had one that was circular, it had a metal outside lining and an inner rubber circular lining, so basically it was a rubber circle surrounded by a much larger metal circle
now when i looked in the haynes book it showed the rear end blown up and it had a seal and a deflector, the part i had looked more like a deflector.
when i put it on the truck i really didnt know what i was doing so i just placed the deflector looking thing between the spline and the rear hole and torqued it down (the nut lock only went on about halfway, didnt look to safe) and gear lube came pouring out
so what im wondering is, was the part i had the wrong part to fix the leak? and how should i go about fixing it.
sorry if i posted this in the wrong area im not to framilliar with this site
i had one that was circular, it had a metal outside lining and an inner rubber circular lining, so basically it was a rubber circle surrounded by a much larger metal circle
now when i looked in the haynes book it showed the rear end blown up and it had a seal and a deflector, the part i had looked more like a deflector.
when i put it on the truck i really didnt know what i was doing so i just placed the deflector looking thing between the spline and the rear hole and torqued it down (the nut lock only went on about halfway, didnt look to safe) and gear lube came pouring out
so what im wondering is, was the part i had the wrong part to fix the leak? and how should i go about fixing it.
sorry if i posted this in the wrong area im not to framilliar with this site
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 881
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From: dallastown pa
The deflector is usually part of the yoke a metal shield to keep dirt and rocks from getting at the seal. The seal should be an outer metal case with inner rubber lips and have a spring running on the inside of the seal to keep it ridgid. The yoke over time can actually have a grove worn in it by the seal so while doing the seal check the yoke for wear its already out if your doing the seal. The link of the picture listed above shows the deflector.