Marlin Inner Axle Seals - Real World Reports

[Manuelsv]

Mine lasted 25K Miles

I don't know if 25K is good or bad.. I do abuse and offroad the truck a whole bunch.. Lots of water crossings.. and fun! Do have extended breathers..
Anyhow all this talk about the Marlin seals lasting less made me decide to just go OEM. Doing a front axle rebuild is not fun.. If Toy OEM seals last even 5% longer.. That's 5% longer till I have to go back in there and get covered in stinky sticky grease!

 

[simps80]

For everyone with grease in the diff, have you serviced/extended the axle breathers?

No I had not, they are now but when the marlin seals were in the breathers were in the stock locations.

 

[Kernal]

My truck's had Marlin seals for about 25,000 miles, no gear oil into the knuckles allthough I do get a small amount of grease sucked into the axle housing, but not as much as with worn OEM seals. Anyone here used the TG seal yet?

I have not yet removed the OEM breather or extended the hose.

 

[Jacket]

I've got about 20k miles on my 80 since installing Marlin seals and one side is already leaking. I'd go with OEM on the 80 next time.

On my 40 the Marlin seals are solid - no leaks.

 

[kidglove13]

I've got about 20k miles on my 80 since installing Marlin seals and one side is already leaking. I'd go with OEM on the 80 next time.

On my 40 the Marlin seals are solid - no leaks.

They are solid on your 40 because it is partime 4wd

I would stick with OEM

It really depends on how grooved the axles really are first and foremost.

Also when you are installing the axle seal you do have a little bit of wiggle room as to how far you drive the axle seal into place which in turn means you might be able to get the new seal to ride on a different area of the axle

When and if you take it apart make a note as to the orientation and depth of the seal in the axle

Every little bit helps

 

[cool breeze]

Good point^^^

Some install them flush. I like them fully inserted

 

[TheBigBoy]

I would assume if its original from factory shimming shouldn't need to be checked though.

That's assuming the housing isn't bent. They are original shims from Toyota, the axles aren't grooved etc etc. Oem are thin as, and most people damage them when fitting. Marlins are certainly what they claim they are better (in regards to sealing and deflection). Most of the time they leak because of what's mentioned above. And people try and use the marlins as a bandaid to fix the problem. When it does work (not the source of the problem) they call them crap.

 

[grain2glass]

That's assuming the housing isn't bent. They are original shims from Toyota, the axles aren't grooved etc etc. Oem are thin as, and most people damage them when fitting. Marlins are certainly what they claim they are better (in regards to sealing and deflection). Most of the time they leak because of what's mentioned above. And people try and use the marlins as a bandaid to fix the problem. When it does work (not the source of the problem) they call them crap.

Valid points. It's one of the few cases, for 80s at least, where a 3rd party has actually improved on Mr. T's design. However, they work based off the assumption that everything else is in top OEM shape.

 

[foeix]

Thanks guys... going to stick with OEM for the foreseeable future.

 

[dagwood85]

Does Trail-Gear make an inner axle seal for the 80 or just the pickups? i was under the impression it was just marlin that offered an aftermarket seal. I ran TG in my first gen pickup and i loved them. In a side by side comparison it is a no brainer. if they made them for an fj80 i would absolutely run them without a doubt.

 

[bruff]

Current 80 has had Marlin seals for over 20K miles and my first 80 (which my neighbour now owns has the Marlin seals that I put in it over 50K miles ago. Neither have any issues.

 

[cody c]

Does Trail-Gear make an inner axle seal for the 80 or just the pickups? i was under the impression it was just marlin that offered an aftermarket seal. I ran TG in my first gen pickup and i loved them. In a side by side comparison it is a no brainer. if they made them for an fj80 i would absolutely run them without a doubt.

I was under the impression they work for 60's and 80's. Marlins site only lists one seal, so I thought it would be the same for TG.

 

[grain2glass]

Current 80 has had Marlin seals for over 20K miles and my first 80 (which my neighbour now owns has the Marlin seals that I put in it over 50K miles ago. Neither have any issues.

This is encouraging news!

 

[Kernal]

Here's a link:

http://www.marlincrawler.com/tech/axles/exploring-technology-ecoseal-inner-axle-seal

 

[Tools R Us]

I was under the impression they work for 60's and 80's. Marlins site only lists one seal, so I thought it would be the same for TG.

Nope, the '80 seal is very different than the earlier seal.

First, what "problem" are you trying to solve? On an earlier type axle, I agree 100% the Marlin seal good upgrade, on the '80, not so much. The early design is a solid type seal, the Marlin type is also. The factory '80 type is more complex, has a "bellows" type design, allowing the seal to flex, follow axle deflection much better than a solid type seal. Have seen several properly installed Marlin seals have short life, simply replacing them with stock type solved the problem, with no other changes. I have seen, know of a couple of stock seals that went leak free close to 200K miles, a bunch that have gone 150K, so what is the "problem"?

 

[dagwood85]

Nope, the '80 seal is very different than the earlier seal.

First, what "problem" are you trying to solve? On an earlier type axle, I agree 100% the Marlin seal good upgrade, on the '80, not so much. The early design is a solid type seal, the Marlin type is also. The factory '80 type is more complex, has a "bellows" type design, allowing the seal to flex, follow axle deflection much better than a solid type seal. Have seen several properly installed Marlin seals have short life, simply replacing them with stock type solved the problem, with no other changes. I have seen, know of a couple of stock seals that went leak free close to 200K miles, a bunch that have gone 150K, so what is the "problem"?

I agree. A huge up grade on the earlier pickups, but I would run oem seals on the 80.

 

[Kernal]

As Tools said and AFAIK my truck's front axle also went 150,000+ miles on Toyota front axle seals before I started to get gear oil into the knuckles. However I found the axle shafts had deep grooves so went with the Marlin's as the lips ride in a different spot compared to the Toyota seals. Didn't feel confident in trying to drive the seals a bit shallow and still get them plumb, FWIW.

 

[LINUS]

I just went to the Marlins this last rebuild after doing OEM seals the previous 2 rebuilds - I only had 25K on the 2nd OEM seal rebuild before I started weeping past, so that was why I went Marlin & will do so until they leak - then I'll add some filler to the shaft & mill it smooth & go back to OEM for a few rebuilds

Repeat until I finally need new shafts, which I expect I'll need a 6' pine box just before then, rendering the need for a vehicle of any sort useless.

Breathers extended & capped with cheap fuel filters for those keeping score- extended with ~3/8" ID hose to the master cyl area, with a few feet coiled to zip tie out on the mirror if I felt the need to fjord water that deep (never).

 

[spartan]

I've done nine axle jobs over the years. I recently switched to Marlin seals and have high confidence in their effectiveness. Unless you want to buy a seal seater / SST to seat the OEM product I would stick with marlin any day.

On a side note - they do have a nice set of seal seating tools at Northern Tool for not that much coin. I'm going to get one when I get around to it.

 

[1973Guppie]

U don't need an SST to seat the seal? just use a brass drift. I put the marlin seals in my 80, about 20k later it is leaking like crazy. Never had a problem on the 40 with the marlin seals. Has got to do with the full time 4wd I am guessing especially with similar comments from other folks. Bummer that I will have to redo the whole thing again here soon.