Leaking Front Axle Temporary Fix Advice (4 Viewers)

[CaptBeardilocks]

For the last 4 years/40k miles since I built my truck, I have redone the knuckles 3 times. Each year the right side starts weeping relatively soon after rebuild. I travel 8-9mo out of the year and use the truck as intended on rough forest roads but don't wheel it hard. The ball gets wet in the first 3-4000 miles and over the course of the year I'll get a few dozen drips on the tire, but it's not pouring out.

I have almost new RCV axles in the front that (as of last year) weren't grooved badly. Wheel bearings have been replaced twice now, as well as pinion bearings. Pinions being re-shimmed properly, according to the FSM anyway, last year. I have only ever used OEM Mr T axle seals.

At this point I'm relatively certain that I have a bent axle housing. I'm on the lookout for a used housing but tracking down a decent LOCKER housing is difficult. And with my summer workshop in the NE US, virtually impossible without shipping across the country. I'll find one eventually, but until then....

Are there any tricks or tips to keep it limping along another year? The RCV axles are drilled so I can add fresh moly to the CVs a few times a year.

I have a set of Terrain Tamer axle seals that I was thinking of putting on that side.

Has anyone tried doubling up axle seals on one side? Seating two of them on one side? From memory, I think there's room to seat two seals. Maybe. But I'm not sure if that would cause other problems. Or even help at all. Lol.

Any other tips?

 

[NeverFinis]

I assume what is dripping is gear oil and not grease.

Before going to all the trouble of buying an axle housing, get an alignment and check camber and all the other metrics. It should pick up a bent housing.

You should be able to modify a non-locking housing to make it a locking housing. I did this on my 1985 4Runner over 2 decades ago (dual e-lockers in stock housings).

Does Terrain Tamer offer an inner axle seal? Anything different about them from stock?

 

[Godwin]

Have you checked your axle vent to make sure it’s not clogged?

 

[CaptBeardilocks]

I assume what is dripping is gear oil and not grease.

Before going to all the trouble of buying an axle housing, get an alignment and check camber and all the other metrics. It should pick up a bent housing.

You should be able to modify a non-locking housing to make it a locking housing. I did this on my 1985 4Runner over 2 decades ago (dual e-lockers in stock housings).

Does Terrain Tamer offer an inner axle seal? Anything different about them from stock?

Yes, it's dripping gear oil.

I got an alignment to finish off the build 4yrs ago. Alignment was near perfect after adding Delta VS arms to match my Slinky lift. No mention of a bent housing from them. My impression at this point is that it's just ever so slightly bent.

I was under the impression that with the 80 axles, you needed a locker axle housing to fit stock lockers. If anyone know otherwise, please chime in.

 

[CaptBeardilocks]

Have you checked your axle vent to make sure it’s not clogged?

Yep. Every year. Lol. New in-housing fitting, new hose run up higher, etc etc.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Usually a no-no, but if you're suspecting a bent housing, perhaps experiment with the shims at the trunnion bearings?

 

[NeverFinis]

To possibly convert, one will need to grind out the housing, maybe add new material. Looks like 4 studs need to be changed. The long studs have to be dead straight due to their length. I have done this on mini-truck axles (only 2 studs needed to be changed), but I haven't done it on a FJ80 axle.

For a new diff locking front axle, $1500, including shipping, from PartSouq. I am surprised that they will ship it but they are top notch at shipping...

Personally, I might wait until Toyota had a nation-wide sale and order from a local dealership. I did this for a rear housing, and the first one came damaged from shipping. The second one, which I accepted, had a damaged shipping box, but the axle was ok.

Gasket differences:

Locking

Non-locking, possibly flipped from the gasket above

 

[CaptBeardilocks]

I swear I looked on Partsouq and it was listed NLA. They list shipping at $380 which seems insanely cheap to me. I just got an (admittedly heavy) order from them and paid like $125 for that small box.

I will say I have never ever received anything from them damaged. Always amazingly well packed. But I have never ordered anything that large from them either.

With Dealer retail being $2681.32 precisely, it would take a helluva sale to get close to the $1500 shipped from Partsouq. With the hope that it arrived undamaged.

 

[Dindu Nuffin]

I'm a big fan of OEM parts when it comes to seals and gaskets but in the case of axle seals, I've found the Marlin Ecoseals to be superior, especially when there's an out-of-spec condition. In my case, it was a groove worn in the axle shaft.