Water Crossings (1 Viewer)

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Glenn-BJ74

Glenn-BJ74

Joined
May 7, 2006
Threads
279
Messages
3,356
Location
Kelowna, BC
The rear wheel bearing on my truck have never been serviced since I got my truck 65,000 km ago.
Well those water crossings have taken a toll on my rear wheel bearing they were all rusty and I had to replace them before heading to Utah.

While I had ATEB do my SS exhaust system they replaced my rear left long axle as the splines were twisted.The twisted axle I will use it as spare.

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I thought your rear bearings were fully sealed in grease? I know that mine are but I don't have a full floater. The only time something like that could happen on mine is if the inner seal fails and allows the grease to be washed out by hot gear oil which could allow moisture in past the outer dust seal. It would still have to get past the outer dust seal.
 
I just did my rears last week and I am curious to see how they hold up this year
Going to try out the amsoil waterproof wheel bearing grease
Glenn where did you get a replacement axle?
 
canucksafari said:
I thought your rear bearings were fully sealed in grease? I know that mine are but I don't have a full floater. The only time something like that could happen on mine is if the inner seal fails and allows the grease to be washed out by hot gear oil which could allow moisture in past the outer dust seal. It would still have to get past the outer dust seal.
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S**t happens when you are wheeling a lot and doing deep water crossings in addition to the normal maintenance required for the wheel bearings - front and rear..
 
ForealBoreal said:
I just did my rears last week and I am curious to see how they hold up this year
Going to try out the amsoil waterproof wheel bearing grease
Glenn where did you get a replacement axle?
Click to expand...

Steve has some.
 
axle shaft doesn't look to bad to me either, were your wheel bearings dry?? they are sealed from water unless your gear oil was contaminated or your axle shaft seal was leaking? if you are getting water intrusion into your axle you should extend your breather my lowest one other than the shift tower of course is at the top of my hood 4Ft. you shoulda just bough chromoly axles and use your stocker for spares that way alot less worry about axle shaft breakage I've beaten the crap outta mine with 37's and no probs so far. it is nice to see people keeping on top of there maintanence before trips not after they break things on trips thumbs up for that glenn
 
that is not normal wear, the wear on the spline is normal but the fact that the splines are twisting (look at the picture, they are moving towards the upper right corner of the shot) that is a bad sign and means the metal has been stressed a lot. Good thing you caught that because the next large obstacle could have easily meant you were going to snap that axle. It will make an ok trail spare but nothing I would use lockers on and attemp major trips with.
That rust is actually very little for so many kilometers and trips we have done, your seals and metal mating surfaces must still be in fairly good condition. Mine get replaced every 2 years because of water damage, but then again I have a truck that has over 550,000 and I don't just go to the mall and back.
 
Yeah, I have battled with my front axle a bit. Before each epic trip we tear into it and change fluids, re pack etc. Even with Marlin seals I find the 80W finds it's way into the birfs a bit.

Mat- you should try Kingsgate Mall. There is plenty of adventure to be had there... Perhaps you will be lucky enough to have an urban sighting of the elusive LanceCruiserus Northamericanus while you visit. This is where his mating ritual occurs..
 
WrenchMonkey said:
axle shaft doesn't look to bad to me either, were your wheel bearings dry?? they are sealed from water unless your gear oil was contaminated or your axle shaft seal was leaking? if you are getting water intrusion into your axle you should extend your breather my lowest one other than the shift tower of course is at the top of my hood 4Ft. you shoulda just bough chromoly axles and use your stocker for spares that way alot less worry about axle shaft breakage I've beaten the crap outta mine with 37's and no probs so far. it is nice to see people keeping on top of there maintanence before trips not after they break things on trips thumbs up for that glenn
Click to expand...

I looked into chromoly rear axles and although great for competition, high horsepower machines and a dedicated off-road rigs, since going to Utah over the last two years I have put on nearly 30,000 km. From what I have read rear chromoly axles are not recommended for DD and given my higher mileage I went for OEM axles, which was ATEB’s recommendations as well.

For the front-- chromoly would be an option, because its see much less DD wear and can be exposed to more shock loading.
 
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I had my rear full floaters done before R.S. @ RADD , the races had some scorch marks with some mild rainbow colors, they werent bad , werent good either. Zero preload spares.

I just pulled the ones off the HJ 61, They look brand new compared to the BJ 74s
 
prado t said:
I had my rear full floaters done before R.S. @ RADD , the races had some scorch marks with some mild rainbow colors, they werent bad , werent good either. Zero preload spares.

I just pulled the ones off the HJ 61, They look brand new compared to the BJ 74s
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Yes it is truly amazing how long stuff lasts when you don't use (wheel) it -- but where is the fun it that :hillbilly:
 
I must be dense. I still don't get how the wheeling causes scoring or rust on bearings unless there is a defect or the bearings are not packed and pre-tensioned properly. The bearings don't stop working when you are out of 4WD. I have been through deep water lots of times on my 5 spd and never found water contamination nor bearing burn on the front bearings. Perhaps I have just been lucky. I have not had reason to pull the rears. I only pulled them on my wife's auto because the inner seal was shot and gear oil was seeping through the bearing and out the outer dust seal. A lot of the grease had been washed out but there was no scoring or wear on the bearing. Both rigs are daily drivers. With the 5 spd at 260,000 and the auto at 150,000.

My question is quit simple, is a full floater axle more prone to water contamination and bearing problems than a semi-floater? I know the full floater axle can carry a lot more weight. They are also a lot easier to service than the press off and press bearings on the semi-floater.
 
Bearing can suffer rust only if moisture is introduced into the housing, that can be water that has entered through a wear in the seal/mating surface, rapid changes in climate/temperature, causing condensation to build up inside the housing, the usual stuff. It has nothing to do with off-roading, the frequency of it makes the vehicle more prone to it and even well maintained trucks, with good seals can get water damage in movable areas. You are dealing with a rather hot housing, entering a cold water stream. That causes both a rapid temperature change as well as a pressure change. Even with the differential venting properly it can still be affected. Add to that moving parts that can actually suck water by the rotation alone, a single bead of sand can get into the hub and fit between the seal and spindle and cause enough damage and let water in. So wheeling causes additional wear, and possibility of rust, and in turn the rust scoring the metal, even in situations where everything is nice and tight.
Full floaters are no more prone to it thatn semi-floating axles, all have the same moving components and each is designed with seals in appropriate places so minimize external influences.
 
you are not dense. you must, however, embrace the concept that sometimes s*** does happen.
 
prado t said:
I saw that smoking heap(s) you drive up the COQ, of course it looks good to you!................ wait for it:flipoff2:
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Ya I know, rockin 350 horse in my powerstroke towing my rock buggy up the cut going 140k sucks big time :p
 
crawlin cruiser said:
Ya I know, rockin 350 horse in my powerstroke towing my rock buggy up the cut going 140k sucks big time :p
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What, you dropped the Cummins for a powerstroke!?
 
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