Front axle, thinking gear oil and not soup

[Romer]

I rebuilt the drivers side in May after busting a birf. I did not take off the knuckle since I had just done the axle job in March.

There was gear oil in the knuckle while doing the job and I cleaned out the inside of the ball. Some got down between the ball and the kknuckle. I tried to clean it out best I could without taking the knuckle off.

After going about 900 miles, the new owner snapped this picture.

Since it looks like plain grease instead of soup, I am thinking there was gear oil in the knuckle that worked its way out.

I could also have messed up the seal when I rebuilt it in my Garage in May.

Thoughts?

 

[grizzlygibbs]

Just myself thinking out loud, if the spring had fallen off the seal upon taking out/putting back in the birf would the seal fail? I wonder if this is what could have happened? I would think as soft and fragile as the spring is it might not do much damage to the internals.

 

[Romer]

Just myself thinking out loud, if the spring had fallen off the seal upon taking out/putting back in the birf would the seal fail? I wonder if this is what could have happened? I would think as soft and fragile as the spring is it might not do much damage to the internals.

Thats a possibility for sure. I could have messed up the seal getting the axle in

I was thinking that if gear oil pooled in the bottom of the knuckle during te break or the repair, then having fresh grease packed on top of it would have caused the lighter gear oil to work its way out through the seals. Eventually, all the pooled gear oil would work its way out.

Thats why I was thinking keep cleaing it for several months and if it goes away, thats the problem.

If iy doesn't go away and even starts to get soupy, then I likely muked the seal.

Normally, I wouild have suggested he take the cap off next to the abs sensor and stick something in the hole to see of the grease is soupy, that checks the knuckle outside the ball so I am thinking that wouldnt help us here based on my theory.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Id say the inner seal has failed. MIke

 

[operatorTRP]

I have a few more pics I ll try and get posted this morning.

 

[Tools R Us]

It could be ether, there was some oil between the knuckle and ball and it is possible the seal could have failed. But this isn't Romer's first rodeo, so the chance is good that the seal is in correctly.

Have you checked the grease in the knuckle? Turn the steering all the way towards the side that you are working on, remove the plug and look in, take a sample. As long as the grease isn't soup (likely not or the outside would be a huge mess), add grease if needed to bring the level up and drive. Keep an eye on it, clean as needed, ether the weeping will slow or will turn into birf soup and make a huge mess.

 

[Tools R Us]

...
Normally, I wouild have suggested he take the cap off next to the abs sensor and stick something in the hole to see of the grease is soupy, that checks the knuckle outside the ball so I am thinking that wouldnt help us here based on my theory.

Nope, if you turn the steering all of the way towards the side you are working on, can see into the knuckle. The backside of the birf bell, spindle bushing rim, ABS ring are visible and can see the level, condition of the grease in the knuckle.

 

[operatorTRP]

TRU:

I ll try that when I get home. Also going to hit it with the pressure washer and see if it comes back.

Can't load the other pics today. I ll try and get some more up later. Or not if it cures itself?

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[CJF]

Why is no one suggesting to check the condition of the diff fluid in order to look for cross-contamination?

Or did I miss something?

 

[Tools R Us]

TRU:

I ll try that when I get home. Also going to hit it with the pressure washer and see if it comes back.

Can't load the other pics today. I ll try and get some more up later. Or not if it cures itself?

Thanks for the replies guys!

Be careful with the pressure washer, don't aim it directly at the wiper/knuckle ball seal edge, can drive water into the knuckle. I go at an angle across the wiper seal face, not straight into the seal.

This is the configuration to see into the knuckle, note the steering angle. Tried to shoot to show what you can see, but it is a black hole to the camera. If you need more light, could pull the ABS sensor and shine the flashlight through there, but I have always been able to get the flashlight and my eye in the fill hole.

 

[Tools R Us]

Why is no one suggesting to check the condition of the diff fluid in order to look for cross-contamination?

Or did I miss something?

Because it is inconclusive, not likely to tell anything. Agree that it is a good idea to check condition/level. It only takes a small amount of gear oil to make birf soup (an ounce?) not going to be detectable on a level check. Some grease migration is normal into the gear oil and this axle recently suffered trauma (broken birf), so would expect some grease in the gear oil. The best, most conclusive, is to check the knuckle, if there is a problem, that is where it is.

 

[operatorTRP]

Be careful with the pressure washer, don't aim it directly at the wiper/knuckle ball seal edge, can drive water into the knuckle. I go at an angle across the wiper seal face, not straight into the seal.

THanks for the tip! I proabably would of realized that AFTER i had already screwed up. I ll try to get in there and atleast have a look tonight.

 

[-Spike-]

A little degreaser and a hose works pretty good too.

 

[operatorTRP]

A little degreaser and a hose works pretty good too.

Sure, but the pressure washer is louder.

 

[Tools R Us]

THanks for the tip! I proabably would of realized that AFTER i had already screwed up. I ll try to get in there and atleast have a look tonight.

I would have a grease gun loaded with some thick moly handy. In my experience, it is difficult to judge fill amount when putting the knuckle together, after driving a bit, most are low.

It is also difficult to judge when filling from the inspection hole, so I do it in steps. If it looks way empty add 1/2 tube, just low, 1/4 tube, then drive for a few days and recheck/fill. To judge how much grease the gun is supplying; pull the loading rod all of the way out, until it contacts the piston, note how far out it is, a sharpie marker works well to mark the loading rod were you want to stop. As the gun is pumped, the rod/piston will move in, so if want 1/4 tube move it ~2", 1/2 tube ~4".

 

[operatorTRP]

I would have a grease gun loaded with some thick moly handy. In my experience, it is difficult to judge fill amount when putting the knuckle together, after driving a bit, most are low.

It is also difficult to judge when filling from the inspection hole, so I do it in steps. If it looks way empty add 1/2 tube, just low, 1/4 tube, then drive for a few days and recheck/fill. To judge how much grease the gun is supplying; pull the loading rod all of the way out, until it contacts the piston, note how far out it is, a sharpie marker works well to mark the loading rod were you want to stop. As the gun is pumped, the rod/piston will move in, so if want 1/4 tube move it ~2", 1/2 tube ~4".

Will doo!
Thanks for all the info!

This is my first cruiser and a real step up from the 4runners i had been playing with. It'll take me a while to get used to how it all goes together, and I do all my own wrenching (I think the last time I paid a mechanic was when I was 16, and still had to go back and fix it myself)


Does the knuckle take special grease, or will mobil 1 red work ok? It is what I have on hand right now.

 

[Romer]

You don't want to use Mobil 1 Red grease in there. Thats for bearings. You want something with a high Moly content. I use Valvoline Paladium (Robbie recommended it)

Valvoline.com > Products > Grease Comercial > > Valvoline Palladium® Grease

I better change my avatar

 

[operatorTRP]

I didn't have the time to pull the inspection plug last night, but I looked at the oil/grease a little more.
Looks to be a mix of oil and grease a grey green snot type of residue. It is coming out at a little more than a seep, definately from around the Ball. Looks like the felt wiper ring is saturated and oozing.
I ll try and get it cleaned off in the next day or so and see if it increases or stops. I ll also try and get a sample from inside the Knuckle.

Downloaded the Mud app last night so uploading pics may be a little easier? When I actually have service?

 

[operatorTRP]

Some more pics.

 

[yoopercharged]

Make sure the differential vent isn't clogged. You probably know, but it would force gear oil past the seal if the vent or line was blocked.