Brown looking grease found on front axle splines and around bearings (1 Viewer)

[OwnerCS]

Approximately 18 months and 7,000 miles ago, the CV axles were replaced with new axle flanges, gaskets, c clips. The bearings had been replaced approximately 10,000 miles earlier by the previous owners.

Fast forward 7,000 miles and monthly mud and water crossings where I decided to pull the hubs to clean and repack the wheel bearings before winter comes and my water/mud crossings increase for the next 6 months.

All went ok with removing the axle flanges and hubs. However, I found some brown grease that looks like some muddy water may have entered the spindle area.

I'm glad I caught this when I did. I made a couple of pictures before it got dark. I want to get a some opiinions about the brown grease that I see in the picture.

Tomorrow I will post pictures of the spindle, bearings, and race. I think I caught this just in time.

The cap was new 19 months ago.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Looks like mud + rust to me

 

[ramangain]

Since the c clip does allow some minor longitudinal motion of the axle in the spindle, there is no perfect seal at the end of the CV joint. Stuff can find its way in there.

 

[2001LC]

I see brown grease like pictured, about 2 in 10 bearing services.

Grease cap reused sometimes leak. Especially if removed by chiseling or prying off at lip, which damages the lip.

Likely brown is just around area pictured. If found in further in, like rear of knuckle around axle bearing and bushing. Then may have leaked at rear knuckle oil seal. Very often (7 out of 10) when FDS (CV) replaced without pulling knuckle. I find the seal gets damaged as axle installed through it. A typical shop will forces FDS in with knuckle hung off one ball joint, damaging rear seal. Very often I'll find axle spline indation on axle bushing (brass), indicating axle forced.

Also, if found in rear bearing (large) area. Then seal in back of wheel hub is not sealing well. Either installed wrong, reused bad old seal or wheel bearings loose. If wheel bearings loose, hub wobbles on spindle, seal compromised as it wobbles.

I suppose if one stopped in deep water, all but perfect seals surfaces is going to leak.

 

[OwnerCS]

Thank you guys. I will continue digging to investigate today.

Mud will work its way into just about anything that's not a completely closed seal like a differential or transfer case seal.

I'm seeting that water crossings come with a price.

I've been changing diff and xfer case fluids every 3,000 miles since I did the 1st change to make sure those are clean. I think checking the axle cap or pulling the axle flanges on a regular basis to check preload and maybe give it a shot of grease with the Slee tool.

New axle flanges, gaskets, seals, caps, cones, studs, c-clips, nuts, were installed during the suspension refresh.

One thing that could have contributed to water getting in may be from me pressure washing (e.g. car wash) the underside and knuckle area after it had been covered in mud. It may have washed in water or mud that would have normally stayed out. I don't remember specifically spraying the knuckle area. Though It would be very likely to have happened.

Knuckles were removed at the time new CV axles were installed.

Slee tool was used to inject grease into the shaft during installation.

Brass bushing and seal from when the front refresh.

 

[Malleus]

FWIW, you are supposed to repack your wheel bearings after every water crossing. The dust caps are not designed to be waterproof.

 

[OwnerCS]

FWIW, you are supposed to repack your wheel bearing after every water crossing. The dust caps are not designed to be waterproof.

Ahhh.. Yikes. That's it then.

 

[OwnerCS]

I've thought about posting a thread named "The Consequences of Mud" for our IH8MUD members.. This may turn into that thread.

 

[OwnerCS]

Interesting article from an 80 series owner in Australia in the link below. I've been using Omni Lubricants waterproof green marine grease on other types of bearings, CV axles, and u-joints joints for years with good success. I learned about it from people who submerge large boat trailers in ocean saltwater. I'm not planning to drive into the ocean anytime soon. Maybe I should try it here for muddy water.

Stopping Water in Landcruiser Wheel Bearings​

Stopping Water in Landcruiser Wheel Bearings

Hi guys, I have an 80 series, and do a lot of remote travel in it. Fantastic vehicle, except for one particular annoying thing: always trickling water into the font bearings. I am fed up of pulling them out and re-packing....

www.exploroz.com

 

[OwnerCS]

I may have escaped without significant damage. Some discoloration but still feels smooth to the touch.

 

[abuck99]

Paul was on it with rust in the splines area started by water intrusion. Not a big deal if you repack on schedule.

New dust caps are inexpensive; I replace at bearing service intervals. When installed new they have a pretty darn tight seal- IMO- there's little chance of water getting through a new cap unless you park your truck in the water for extended period of time. More chance for water intrusion if the flange gasket has been reused.

 

[OwnerCS]

Paul was on it with rust in the splines area started by water intrusion. Not a big deal if you repack on schedule.

New dust caps are inexpensive; I replace at bearing service intervals. When installed new they have a pretty darn tight seal- IMO- there's little chance of water getting through a new cap unless you park your truck in the water for extended period of time. More chance for water intrusion if the flange gasket has been reused.

I started with all new caps and flange gaskets last year - 7,000 miles ago. Somehow I think water may have entered via pressure washing.

I don't illegally park or stop in streams or water crossings. That you get you a ticket around here..

The race looks be be smooth. The rear bearings and race feel smooth.

I'm glad that I caught it this weekend.

 

[OwnerCS]

This is a relief.

I pulled the knuckle to check out the backside. The CV axle seal kept out the water. No evidence of water around the needle bearings or brass bushing.

I'm still leaning toward water entering the front side from around the axle flange seal from pressure washing.

Since SCS F5 wheels do not have hubcaps, the flanges have been exposed to many high-pressure washings to clean up the visible flange area.

Now that I can rule out water entering from the backside, I will put it all back together using all new parts that I ordered from Cruiser Outfitters.

Meanwhile, I'll stop pressure washing the flange area and check it again in 3 months. I can tell if there is a problem by just removing the cap.

 

[OwnerCS]

It's been raining off and on the past two days that makes this a "stop and go" project. I'll be checking the hub again in three months. Note that I only put 6,000 miles a year on the 100 and most of that is off-road. So due to the number of water and mud crossings each year, I think this will become an annual health check event.

I think the problem was caused by pressure washing the hub flange area with a 3,000 psi pressure washer. I will stop pressure washing that area and just use a scrub brush and a regular water hose.

Posting five pictures from the refresh.

If you ever wondered what a knuckle seal looks like from the back side where it mates up with the hub. The hub's contact surface should be smooth where it mates up with the seal.

Using the Lisle bearing grease tool. I still work grease into the bearings using the old fashioned "grease in palm" method to supplement the Lisle tool.

I grease the dust cover contact locaitons, the paper gasket, and the back of the knuckle seal as shown in @2001LC videos.

Just due to the number of water and mud crossings that I do I decided to freshen up the knuckle seal and gasket. I found that mud had collected in the cavity between the old knuckle seal edge and the knuckle face. The old gasket was intact, the rubber became hard from age.

New hub seals installed. I will pack the hub cavety when the weather clears and I'm ready to mount the hub.

Ultra expensive PVC seal installation tool.

 

[OwnerCS]

All back together now. I'll mount the brake caliper tomorrow night.

 

[FxFormat]

i had to do the same to mine last time I went mudding, opened up the dust cap I can see brown sludge like stuff inside. Cleaned and repacked it and replaced the dust cap. The worst mess was the fan blade kicking up mud and slinging it all over the engine bay. Ended up changing out the transfer case and diff fluids too and replaced breather

 

[OwnerCS]

i had to do the same to mine last time I went mudding, opened up the dust cap I can see brown sludge like stuff inside. Cleaned and repacked it and replaced the dust cap. The worst mess was the fan blade kicking up mud and slinging it all over the engine bay. Ended up changing out the transfer case and diff fluids too and replaced breather

Thanks for the info.

The engine compartment definitely looks like a mud-ball afterward. I think for every weekend of off-roading through mud, there are two weekends of cleanup maintenance. It's a lot of fun. Off-roading in my world comes with added work and expense to keep everything in tip-top shape. So far, the extended diff breathers are working well.

Powersteering fluid is changed often.

I've been having success for years with Omni Lubricant's Waterproof Green Grease in the u-joints, slip yoke, ball joints, and tie-rod ends. It keeps those parts moving smoothly. The drivetrain on the LX at 242,000 miles, is as smooth as silk. I haven't tried it on wheel bearings since everything but the LX has sealed bearings.

I'm playing by the book on the wheel bearings for now.

Omni Lubricants