Does this look like contaminated birf grease

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CO_Hunter

CO_Hunter

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I did a complete axle job (bearings, seals, gaskets etc.) about a year and a half ago (12,000 miles), all Toyota parts. I used Valvoline Palladium in the birf and Mobile 1 gear oil.

This is what I have found. The passenger side looks a bit wetter on the knuckle studs and drips on inside of the wheel. Looks like gear oil is in both sides. I don't think this is what moly grease should look like.

I checked the knuckle nuts and they seem tight, no gaps. I can blow, with resistance, through the breather. I have done some water crossings, last was about 7 months ago but I don't think that is an issue.

The only things I can think of are I damaged the inner seal, on both sides or I have wear groves on the axles. If the later does anybody use speedy sleeves?

here are some pics of the passenger side
pass1.webp
pass2.webp
passdipjpg.webp
Screwdriver in fill hole
pass1.webp
passdipjpg.webp
pass2.webp
 
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While I'm no expert on 80 knuckles, I think that looks a little thick to be contaminated with gear oil. I have pulled a lot of broken axles out of my rig, and the grease I pack in them always looks about like that inside the birf. I think it gets churned up and made thinner, then begins to seep out. Let's all face it, it's just not the greatest design. That knuckle seal and felt wiper is almost useless after the ball gets older and pitted.

With that said, that is a lot of seepage. maybe it's a slow leak. :)

Marlin sells a heavy duty seal that goes in the inner axle tube. I put them in mine and it stopped my leaks, and my axle is even a little bent.
 
That was non committal answer :). That is not close to how thick and sticky that grease is when it went in. I'm with you, I don't know how much it smooths out when churned.

The consensus on the Marlin seals is not for an 80 (AWD) the Toyota seals float better over the axle. I'm just not looking forward to going back in there so soon.
 
I think it all amounts to how long you can live with it. You're not going to do any damage to any parts you aren't going to replace anyway. Just makes a mess. I drove my first Toyota 83 pickup around forever leaking oil bad enough that BP would look good. It just never bothered me, I would find another mud hole to wash it off in.
 
black95 said:
I would find another mud hole to wash it off in.
Click to expand...

:lol:

I just don't want to damage anything with grease that has lost is spec lubricating ability, for the birf and trunnion bearings. Don't care about how it looks.
 
I became concerned about droplets of fluid on the bottom of the knuckle studs I've seen. I don't know if it is gear oil/grease mix or the grease from the felt seal that is now separating a bit. BTW the droplets are not shown in the pics, they were knocked off when I was messing around before I took the pics.

So the droplets forming wouldn't be cause for concern?
 
Even if there was some leakage of gear oil, the gear oil has sufficient lubricating qualities to keep the birfield lubed. You almost can't get all the grease out of a birfield anyway, and that would be the only thing I would be worried about. The truinion steering bearings will be OK and they come new with the rebuild kit anyway. Just make sure to check your diff gear oil twice a year or so, to make sure it isn't getting low. Now get your butt out to Buena Vista Saturday. :steer:
 
My 80 looks the same as that. I just add more grease to the knukles each time I do an oil change and occasionally in between. I check the diff fluid level at the same time, but rarely need to add (probably too much grease taking up space). I have extra inner axle seals that I'll install next time I need to take it apart.
 
Apparently it concerns you...you would not create a thread and put pictures if you were not worried. I say change it if it bothers you and have peace of mind....mine are leaking, it concerns me...so I'm gona do a knuckle job...at least I know it won't be in the back of my mind afterwards...my 2 cents.
 
Rui, I here ya, but it only bothers me if it is a problem, I really don't to go back in there unless I have to.

I also posted this on the 80's section, so here is some more info.

I did check gear oil it is greenish slightly brown but still translucent.

Knuckle grease does not smell of gear oil. I updated the first post with grease type. Valvoline Palladium.

The knuckle and all parts were clean, clean, clean before reassembly. All new parts includes wiper seals. These were all Toyota parts from CDan.

If there is a groove I may go the speedy sleeve route.

You know thinking about this a bit more I do put grease in every oil change and the last time I thought the knuckles were a bit dry on the outside, at least the drive side so I put in a fair amount more than I usually do, on both sides. They did not look close to what they do now on the outside. I wonder if some of the wetness on the outside is the grease separating. I know it drips out of my grease gun a fair amount between uses. Hmmm....almost seems like more questions. Yes my newbieness to Cruisers is apparent.
 
The right thing to do is replace the seals. I don't know that they ever seal perfectly, but when the are working right the gear oil looks much close to what you put in.

I've had some mixing of gear oil and grease for several years, and keep thinking one of these days I should pull it all apart, clean out thoughly, replace the bearings and seals, but I don't drive it that much, so, I haven't gotten around to it. I don't have anything leaking from the wheel ends, just a little extra grease outside of the wiper seal. I probably have more grease going to the center than oil to the outside.
 
The pictures don't look nearly as bad as mine did a few months ago. (Go back and look at the pictures, you cant even see the wipers for all the slime and gunk). My drivers side seal was completely shot but the passenger was still good. The grease in the passenger was slippery and black, but not soupy and runny like the drivers side was. I'm doing an oil change tomorrow and I will stick a screwdriver down in mine to see how much the new grease has separated and I'll let you know what I find for comparison sake.
 
I wouldn't be taking it apart based on what your looking at. The 80 or what ever that thing is, is just keeping the bolts rust free at this point.
 
I have been in since this weekend...
I have rebuilt the knuckles and found syrup in the right knuckle, I believe the inner seal was seeping oil into it and churning the grease...making a syrup out of the grease, the other knuckle was fine...All the bearings on the knuckles came apart as I removed them (except one).

I am currently finishing up the dif rebuild, hopefully it will be all in before the FJ40 only run this weekend...:eek:

4836302303_8a8644c8d4_b.jpg
 
You got that thing on upside down! :D Since my trunnion bearings are fairly new I didn't go in as deep as you. Still a mess!
 
CO_Hunter said:
You got that thing on upside down! :D
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing about your pics...

The Dif rebuild is on hold...need shims for the pinion...the preload is high...it's a learning experiance...that's what I keep telling myself. :frown:
 
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I know knuckle rebuilds kinda suck.......but you guys are so lucky. I wish all I had wrong with my rig was a leaking seal. I'm glad to be part of a club where guys do their own work--Kudos to both of you. Now, go get some more paper towels...........
 
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