Leak coming from inside of rear wheel
- Thread starter Jobu
- Start date
Get some Silicone Grease and The Right Stuff RTV.
The grease gets applied to the axle seal where the axle shaft rides and the RTV gets applied to the outside of the seal. Do one side at a time and allow the RTV to cure for a few hours. You don’t want the RTV to come in contact with gear oil before it cures.
The grease gets applied to the axle seal where the axle shaft rides and the RTV gets applied to the outside of the seal. Do one side at a time and allow the RTV to cure for a few hours. You don’t want the RTV to come in contact with gear oil before it cures.
OP
Usually if the breather vent is stopped up you will see seepage around the pinion seal and the cover, any sign of leaking there?
OP
He said the first seal "seized up"/not clear what actually causes that. I didn't ask the brand bearings\seal. I will this time. Live (spend money) and learn I guess. It's a 4x4 shop so i'm assuming they know the better brands to use.
I wouldn't assume that at all. It's likely they, like many, prioritize margin. After all before I started doing all my own work the shop I went to put on boxed in versions of the OEM control arms and procomp shocks.
And why not exactly? The grease keeps the seal from suffering heat damage and also conditions the rubber. The RTV helps ensure no leaks between the seal and the axle tube.
https://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/usad44/usa-2.htm
The grease on the seal is a good idea for sure, but it just shouldn't be necessary to also RTV it. The retaining plate pushes on the seal causing the outside to bulge since the other side of the seal is against the bearing. I'd also think that it could be masking an installation issue by not allowing it to leak. Also, I hate cleaning up RTV.
OP
OP
Pull it off the nipple on the axle tube and blow some compressed air through the hose, I am not sure how to check on the axle side but I wouldn't expect that side to clog as much.
The differential breather on a TJ is a bastard setup. There is really no reason for it to be tied to the block for the brakes. On mine there is just a low pressure hose with a hose clamp. i would think you could just take the hose off and blow a little air back into the block, maybe stick a piece of wire in to see if it is open. How bad is the leak anyway? just seepage or continual leak?
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OP
mine is like yours. When I take off the clamp, no fluid should come out right? I get pushing air thru the tube, but back in the block? Is that ok to do?
No fluid should be up in the hose, the differential should be 0 pressure, the only pressure should be minimal due to temp change. I have never checked the vent on the tj, on the old Willys it’s just a simple fitting on the diff case. As suggested, take the hose off blow very low pressure thru it , then take a wire and see if the block is open back down into the axle tube.
Does you differential have the little cheesy rubber fill plug(won’t hold pressure) or is it a threaded pipe?
OP
Thx for the help. I’ll crawl under there in the morning and put some air to it. The fill plug is threaded.
