Driver birf is leaking 12k miles after rebuild , what gives ? No pitting in shaft , seal was the marlin crawler eco seal or whatever
Leaky birfs
- Thread starter William839
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Use an OEM seal, plenty of reports of the Marlin not lasting
While changing the power steering pump last weekend, I noticed I have the identical problem. Leaking after 12k miles... 
Check the axle breathers. If they are blocked pressure will build up in the axle and force the diff oil past the seal.
What gave non-use away? The comical amount of spider webs from the truck to the ground?
Tell me the truck doesn't get driven much without telling me the truck doesn't get driven much.
- Thread starter
- #7
Yes it definitely sits ALOT
It's feelings are hurt, it's crying grease.
Some serious 80 hugs are called for.
Or, you could drive it sometimes.
Agree on the 80 series, Marlin is the bomb on 40’s… I’m not smart enough to know why… maybe the part time TC in a traditional 40.
Marlin seals all the way people here are such suckers for oem it’s pathetic
I've been using the Trail Gear safe Seals (yes, in '80s) ever since they came out with them. Nothing but good to say about them. And I have installed a LOT of them.
Mark
Mark
Why is it pathetic? They're a known, high-quality and very consistent seal, and they're very inexpensive.
FWIW, when I was ordering parts for my 62 from Cruiser Outfitters (who sells the Trail Gear, Marlin Crawler and OEM Seals) told me that if the shaft wasn't grooved or pitted, the OEM seals provide the best service life and fewest premature failures in their experience.
Mark, these upgrade thicker guys? (and how many miles/years you got on em?)
OR the all the other seals in here:
Thanks!
I was referring specifically (if perhaps a bit less clearly than I could have) to the inner axle seal. I have in fact used both of the sets that you mention in your question here. No complaints about either. I have always shied away from the trail gear "white box" knuckle and wheel bearings. I've never been a fan of Chinese bearings.
Mark...
Thanks, have their outter thickend seals and oem everything else and Koyo bearings on my list.
Regurgitating what you heard over the phone isn’t really an argument. Marlin seal has 2 sealing faces, circlip instead of a spring and a guaranteed straight fit flange. They very well might be overkill but I would rather spend 20$ on a good seal vs having to do another knuckle job…
Cruiser Outfitters is not associated with any of the seal manufacturers. They have no impetus to try and push Toyota seals over any one else, and since the other seals are more expensive, they likely stand to make more money from the "premium" seals. What Cruiser Outfitters does have, is ~25 years experience selling thousands of seals to thousands, of customers. Not only that, but they have a shop, and have built countless axles. If the guy on the phone recommends the stock seal on axle shafts that aren't grooved or pitted - I'm going to run the stock seal.
I took a look, and Toyota is still using that exact same seal part number in the latest 70 Series Land Cruisers. That's ~26 years of use for that part. If it weren't any good, don't you think they'd have revised it by now?
I think those other seals serve a purpose for extreme use or shafts that aren't in the best of shape, but I'd trust the OEM seal to give the best service life.
Fwiw, we stock OEM Toyota, aftermarket, Marlin and Trail Gear inner axle seals for the 7x/8x/10x (and earlier models). We're happy selling customers whatever they like to use but are happy to share our experiences too. The Marlin seals are great, we've sold and installed tens of thousands of their HD seals for inner axles and pinions since they first hit the market in the late 2000's?. Marlin was a friend and we've stocked their products for decades. BUT, experience has shown they are not preferred for full-time 4WD 80's, particularly when any seal surface issues (grooves) exist. Fwiw, I don't know that anyone would argue the circlip is preferred to a spring, the opposite imo. Obviously your results vary, that's great, a dry axle is a good axle.
I uesd the Marlin seal due to a groove on my factory axle during my rebuild. 14,000 miles later, it leaks like a seive. Tomorrow, I'll be replacing with a new OEM axle and seal. The previous seal on the original axle last 290k.