Failing Already? Front Inner Axle Seals (3 Viewers)

[OSS]

I cannot imagine that the grease is separating in there

If at any time in the vehicle’s life, different greases were used in the same cavity, they’ll most likely separate into liquids once they mix. Basically turn into oil.
Never mix dissimilar grease. The knuckle cavity is a very large space. Once different grease gets mixef in there- you’re basically toast. It’ll all turn into water.
Only way to set things right is to disassemble and clean out all old grease completely with solvent.

 

[scottcb]

If at any time in the vehicle’s life, different greases were used in the same cavity, they’ll most likely separate into liquids once they mix. Basically turn into oil.
Never mix dissimilar grease. The knuckle cavity is a very large space. Once different grease gets mixef in there- you’re basically toast. It’ll all turn into water.
Only way to set things right is to disassemble and clean out all old grease completely with solvent.

Last rebuild everything was cleaned and new grease was used.

 

[OSS]

new grease was used.

and in my experience.... some of the synthetic greases liquify much more readily than the old school grease.
Sta-Lube has made an EP moly graphite grease for at least 40 years. It was what I used back then. It definitely doesn’t separate and is a very good grease- which is probably why it is still in production 4 decades later.

 

[Kabanstva]

I agree it is oil separating out of the grease, we have big 5-gallon Moly grease pails here and pools of oil will form in the middle of them. Have had several customers ask about mild oil just like this after knuckle jobs in the last year.
If it was an actual seal failure there would be a lot more and your oil level would be low.

I rebuilt my knuckles last April. The truck is still sitting at the shop. 0 miles. It moved around the shop a couple of times (maybe a few hundred feet total). I looked underneath and I see fresh oil dripping on the bottom of each knuckle into the tires and a couple drops onto the shop floor.

Used new Toyota inner axle seals with the Wits End overdrive tool. Install went flawless. I packed the knuckles with Valvoline “Full Synthetic Moly Fortified Gray Grease”. Entire install went hassle free, didn’t have to wrestle anything so I’m stumped why both sides are leaking equally.

Does synthetic grease also separate and become oily over time. Like I said the vehicle has been sitting with almost zero movement. I used new hoses and soaked the diff breather in solvent solution and tested it to make sure it’s not clogged before reinstalling last year (not that it even matter here, the car never moved faster than 5mph or had any heat cycles put through it for any real pressure to build up. 94 80-series.

 

[Kabanstva]

Pics of the drips of clear oil I saw a few days ago. Equal on right and left side of the vehicle.

 

[Kabanstva]

More pics.

 

[cruisermatt]

Yes. That makes sense especially since it’s been sitting over the hot summer.

 

[Kabanstva]

More. If it makes any difference our shop temps get above 80 degrees regularly during the summer.

 

[Kabanstva]

@cruiseroutfit @Delta VS anyone see this before?

 

[Kabanstva]

Yes. That makes sense especially since it’s been sitting over the hot summer.

Thanks for replying Matt.That puts me more at ease. I honestly didn’t think much of the job. Didn’t have to wrestle with removing or installing the new seal, bearing races went in and out with ease. That’s why I was surprised to see this. My first thought was “how the heck is diff oil (Amsoil synthetic) leaking into the knuckles?”

 

[Kabanstva]

Also wanna add that I did this job April of 2024.