Leaking rear hubs

[ldmack3]

Last year I serviced the 4 rear hubs. I used the Green RTV as opposed to the cork, per tactical repair. I tried to make certain everything was squeaky clean. NOS seals, not after market and repacked all bearings inner and outer. Torqued the inner nut to 50-lbs backed off 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Everything was fine and I made a number of short trips.

I recently changed the fluid in both aft differentials. Now I have leaks. I may have overserviced using the finger method of checking the level and I have been making longer trips. Two were showing on the wheel/tire. The third seemed ok but when I pulled the hub locker off it ran out and grease looks like vaseline..sort of. Mixture of the fluid and the grease I'm guessing.

Can over servicing cause this due to heat expansion creating pressure?

 

[Mullaney]

Last year I serviced the 4 rear hubs. I used the Green RTV as opposed to the cork, per tactical repair. I tried to make certain everything was squeaky clean. NOS seals, not after market and repacked all bearings inner and outer. Torqued the inner nut to 50-lbs backed off 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Everything was fine and I made a number of short trips.

I recently changed the fluid in both aft differentials. Now I have leaks. I may have overserviced using the finger method of checking the level and I have been making longer trips. Two were showing on the wheel/tire. The third seemed ok but when I pulled the hub locker off it ran out and grease looks like vaseline..sort of. Mixture of the fluid and the grease I'm guessing.

Can over servicing cause this due to heat expansion creating pressure?

.
I don't think you have done anything that would over-service those differentials. If you are seeping fluid though - I would look at the cheap fix first.

What about the axle vents? Have they been looked at? Over on the east coast and down south, we have "dirt daubers" and other flying bugs (mostly) that will build a nest in a tube. That nest will plug up the hose and if the pressure builds - and can't get out of the vent - it will come around the axle seals or through the "drive shaft yoke".

If you were to go for a road trip - enough to warm up the gear oil - and then while it is still warm open the inspection plug you might hear air escaping. Or push the plug out of your hands.

 

[ToddJK]

Yup. As Mullaney said, that's my first guess. I got some leaking from axles due to the vents being plugged with mud after I went to a mud bog. I had to wash those vents down a lot and work it with my fingers until it would move freely and the leaking stopped. I had both front hubs leak and my vent was plugged. Now that it's unplugged, the leaking stopped...for now.

 

[ldmack3]

Didn't think of the vents. I'll pull and clean tomorrow.
What insp plug are you referring to?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Mullaney]

Didn't think of the vents. I'll pull and clean tomorrow.
What insp plug are you referring to?

Thanks for the advice.

.
I was thinking about the plug where you check oil level in the differentials.

Be careful. If it has built enough pressure to push oil out through the seals - just a couple of pounds - that fill plug could pop you between the eyes if you loosen it quickly enough.

 

[ToddJK]

.
I was thinking about the plug where you check oil level in the differentials.

Be careful. If it has built enough pressure to push oil out through the seals - just a couple of pounds - that fill plug could pop you between the eyes if you loosen it quickly enough.

That'll be one of those "whack f***" games you see on TikTok, lol

 

[ldmack3]

Swapped in my spare vents. Seems to have slowed considerably. Not sure if its just some residual and plus I haven't had a chance to do a good road trip.