Also, gotta ask: How experienced of a mechanic do you consider yourself?
5 Knuckle Jobs Later... Still Leaking (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ARCHIPEEP
- Start date
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lumbee1
Native American
This! If fluid and grease are mixing and rather quickly, that means seal is not making proper contact with the axle shaft. From the limited information, it seems as though the problems started after installation of the RCV axles. Mic the diameter of the RCV and the OEM to determine if they are different. Check the OEM axles for unusual wear around the sealing surface.
- Thread starter
- #43
Yes. Problem didn’t occur until I replaced the axles
You are lubing the seals before you install the axles Right !
You only drive the sesls in until flush with the face. You don’t drive them in until they bottom out.
I have found over time that RCV's Longfields or any other chromoly birfield has a tendency to get "stiff" from use. The cage and journal's get marred slightly where the balls travel inside and get deformed slightly from higher torque scenarios. The stock ones have tendency to break as they are harder and have less chance of deflecting slightly like any of the softer chromoly ones will. That tends to make them "stiff". In my experience , when these axles get "stiff" they tend to force the inner seal to lose contact with seal surface while turning from one side to the other allowing gear oil to pass by. I think you may have better luck with the 300m Birfields that RCV makes. If it were my truck, I would install a part time kit to alleviate wear on the front as chromoly birfields all tend to do this when used to their intended purpose. It would minimize the time in 4wd and allow them to last longer before the "stiffness" occurs.
what's the problem with the Marlin seals?
I had issues with oem seals leaking a bit, went to Marlin's and no problems since.
lumbee1
Native American
The Marlin seals are much stiffer than the OEM seals. I had a friend install Marlin seals. He was replacing them after six months and birf soup.
What would be the procedure for checking if a housing is bent?
I’m curious to know as well. I’m in the same boat my left knuckle keeps leaking. Going on third rebuild in last 2 years. The right side has been done with no issues. For this next one, I ordered up some axles from RCV and spindle with new bushing to see if that helps. I cleaned out the breather as well so no issues there. Took off an ABS tone ring today. Some of the edges got deformed when I knocked it if of with the brass drift. Nothing crazy but would this cause any issues for the ABS.
I would use a small file to clean up the edges and make sure nothing stick out past the OD of the ring or past the flat side.
The sensor counts the number of bumps it sees as it goes round and round, they are not driving anything. You just don't want them to drag on anything.
Thanks for the info. I was wondering about the marks on the center line of the ridges. I didn’t think it actually made contact, but makes since that is would.
The only way I know of to check if the axle housing is bent is with a empty third member with the right size bushing in it and a piece dom tubing passed through it and the alignment rings at each side of the axle housing.
The set up is usually used to see if you are warping the housing while welding on it. In this application you weld a little then turn the tube if it starts to bind you know that your are welding to much and you need to slow down.
We have used the same set up to check for bent housings, if the housing is bent the tube will not pass through.
Of course the housing does not need to be removed from the vehicle and strapped to the I beam for that propose.
The set up is usually used to see if you are warping the housing while welding on it. In this application you weld a little then turn the tube if it starts to bind you know that your are welding to much and you need to slow down.
We have used the same set up to check for bent housings, if the housing is bent the tube will not pass through.
Of course the housing does not need to be removed from the vehicle and strapped to the I beam for that propose.
Do you recall what size bushings and DOM worked for you?The only way I know of to check if the axle housing is bent is with a empty third member with the right size bushing in it and a piece dom tubing passed through it and the alignment rings at each side of the axle housing.
View attachment 3159338
The set up is usually used to see if you are warping the housing while welding on it. In this application you weld a little then turn the tube if it starts to bind you know that your are welding to much and you need to slow down.
We have used the same set up to check for bent housings, if the housing is bent the tube will not pass through.
Of course the housing does not need to be removed from the vehicle and strapped to the I beam for that propose.
The hole set up belongs to my friend in our wheeling group, so the short answer is no.
But the tube fit the alignment rings on each side of the 80 axle housing.
You could work backwards from there.
It's not supposed to make contact. It's supposed to have 0.005"-0.020" clearance ish. It is a proximity sensor and needs the specific count as it rotates. The computer measures the rate count between all four wheels to determine wheel speed and apply braking as needed.
Squash
SILVER Star
Swap the OEM spring into the Marlin.
- Thread starter
- #58
Okay, getting around to the work. Pulled the axle. Its MUCH stiffer than the original (the lower one in the image). Also, looking at the wear pattern on the newer one, it looks like its been wearing the seal in front of the thicker part of the shaft. I don't have the same wear marks on the OEM shaft, and measured the lengths on everything, they're all the same. Any thoughts on this before I start putting it all back together?
go with the heavy-duty inner seals from Marlin
MC inner axle seals are junk.
you have short drive flanges and am using the outer groove maybe.
