My front axle is leaking again, Argggga.

[Brock Steel]

I can't believe it. i JUST replaced the seal and boots 3 weeks ago.

Does anybody have any Idea why its leaking? Did i need to glue the seal retainer into the axle? The right side is fine thank god.

 

[800summit]

How much Grease did you pack in the front Hub. How much Gear lube in front differential I just put almost 1000 miles and went through 4' water with no leaks. What I did was silicone the the hub and brake housing so they will not leak in deep water.

 

[Brock Steel]

How much grease should i use.?

 

[m16ty]

How much grease should i use.?

I use three tubes on each side.
I don't have any idea as to why it's still leaking other than maybe damaging the seal durring installation.

 

[Brock Steel]

Yea and i didn't use any atv on the seal retainer.

 

[m-35tom]

if you have a u-joint axle you don't use grease, that is only for the very old cv-joint type. if it is the inner seal leaking, did you check and clean the vent valve?

 

[m16ty]

if you have a u-joint axle you don't use grease, that is only for the very old cv-joint type. if it is the inner seal leaking, did you check and clean the vent valve?

This is a very old debate . Some say use grease and some say don't. Some say to use grease to lube the thrust bearing. I don't know who is right but I figured the grease couldn't hurt anything (other than making it messy the next time I'm in there) so I added the grease.

 

[Brock Steel]

Grease it is. and i will check the valve to.

 

[Brock Steel]

Well I got it apart, Cleaned it up, replaced the seal, ATV it good, greased the seal a-bit, packed the knuckle, greased behind thrust washer, installed 2 new boot clamps and reassembled. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[Floridianson]

This is a very old debate . Some say use grease and some say don't. Some say to use grease to lube the thrust bearing. I don't know who is right but I figured the grease couldn't hurt anything (other than making it messy the next time I'm in there) so I added the grease.

As Tom said CV only. Lets look at way would you pack grease around the drive shaft U joints. No it would just fly off. Same in the front diff the grease will never reach the inside needles. If you don't pack the U joint housing full of grease you also will be able to tell of you are retaining water after fording by removing one of the four bottom bolts on the hub. If you looked at the outside knuckle the bolts holes went all the way through and were taped leting the water drain out.

 

[kipman]

I have the old style front joints, replaced one front seal two weeks ago, no problem, what do you call the type of joint I have?

 

[m35a2cowner]

I had the same problem. Check to see if its grease or gear lube. Turns out I had a shaft seal leaking and the gear lube passing through the grease made it look like grease. Changed the seal and it quit. Also found that if you fill the differential 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the plug it seemed to really decrease the likelihood of a leak on any axle I worked on. Don't forget the cork seal too.

 

[m16ty]

As Tom said CV only. Lets look at way would you pack grease around the drive shaft U joints. No it would just fly off. Same in the front diff the grease will never reach the inside needles. If you don't pack the U joint housing full of grease you also will be able to tell of you are retaining water after fording by removing one of the four bottom bolts on the hub. If you looked at the outside knuckle the bolts holes went all the way through and were taped leting the water drain out.

I'm not disagreeing with you and Tom (you could be right ) but I'm still on the fence. Why does the military use grease on the u-joint knuckles if it's not needed? I've never torn a frontend down on any truck straight from GL that didn't have grease in the knuckles. If you use your line of thinking there would be no reason to use grease on the CV joint axles either because they would sling the grease off also.

 

[bassetdeuce]

I'm not disagreeing with you and Tom (you could be right ) but I'm still on the fence. Why does the military use grease on the u-joint knuckles if it's not needed? I've never torn a frontend down on any truck straight from GL that didn't have grease in the knuckles. If you use your line of thinking there would be no reason to use grease on the CV joint axles either because they would sling the grease off also.

The mechanism for CV joints are quite different. Think large balls and sockets for CV. As it turns/changes angles back and forth, it draws grease in and out between the sockets and balls. Kinda hard to explain without actually showing a working model of one. U joints have little needle bearings that roll back and forth inside their races. Most of the grease applied to the exterior of the U joint will fling off, but I suppose some of it would serve as some rust protection for the joint itself.

 

[m16ty]

The mechanism for CV joints are quite different. Think large balls and sockets for CV. As it turns/changes angles back and forth, it draws grease in and out between the sockets and balls. Kinda hard to explain without actually showing a working model of one. U joints have little needle bearings that roll back and forth inside their races. Most of the grease applied to the exterior of the U joint will fling off, but I suppose some of it would serve as some rust protection for the joint itself.

I agree that the u-joint won't get any lube form the external grease. I've replaced several and just grease them good through the fitting and let it go. What concerns me about running the knuckles dry is where the thrust washer runs aginst the seal retainer.

 

[m16ty]

Here is a thread I started many moons ago about the subject steering kuckle grease.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/...grease.html?highlight=steering+knuckle+grease

 

[Brock Steel]

I used a tub in the axle. I also greased the thrust bearing also lower the oil level in the diff, seem a little high. Keeping finger crossed.