Help Needed: Rear axle is leaking lube - RV was sitting

K Charles wrote:
If you pack the outside bearing the gear oil will not flow to the inside bearing.

1. If you put some grease on the outer, why would you NOT do the same to the inner?

2. The oil will eat away the grease very quickly.

3. :packing" may be the wrong term here. Usually just some grease, to be sure the bearing is lubed right away. Not packed, like one would do on a grease only bearing.

If you pack the outside bearing the gear oil will not flow to the inside bearing.

FIRE UP wrote:
Well Gang,
First off, while it "could" be possible that the vent all of a sudden clogged up, I'm not sure it's likely. The reason I say that is, those seals have been fine for well over 110K miles. Then, for them BOTH to go bad at one time, due to a vent that clogged while sitting in a dormant state, well, who really knows?? And, based on the OPs statement that it's really cold there, wouldn't that preclude that there should be NO PRESSURE built up inside that axle housing, during its rest period inside the barn? But, even with zero pressure inside that axle housing, since the oil is constantly against the bottom side of those seals, I guess it could just happen.

If the barn was really hot inside, like during a really hot summer, and this situation happened then, I think I could see that, if the vent had clogged, the built up pressure would have no place to go but, through maybe both wheel seals. Just a thought. But, again, stranger things have happened. We'll have to see what the OP does.
Scott

The vent was not likely the cause but what will it hurt to check it anyway? They do plug up from road grime from time to time.
How would the seals go bad in a cold barn sitting there?
They probably started leaking the last time it was driven and then parked. We are just second guessing here!!

It sounds like OP is on top of getting it fixed.

Hey everyone - thank you all for your time and thoughtful replies.

After getting the new oil pan installed (the old one had gotten a pinhole rust leak...)

I put up the white flag and found a local truck repair shop that is open and does work 24/7 - so it's now over there for them to do the seals. I didn't have the time over the next few days to tackle this in the cold barn...

So I'll be on the road next week headed to Fort Worth!

Trackrig wrote:

John Wayne wrote:
If your going to clean the bearings as well as Fireup did I'd hand pack them before I put it all back together.

Is this correct for this axle? Shouldn't the bearing be lubed by the oil and not packed in grease?

Bill

A lot of mechanics will put grease on the bearings, even though they are normally oil lubed. Ensures lubrication IMMEDIATELY, before the oil might get there. Just insurance. The grease will melt into the oil pretty quick, and will disappear.

Well Gang,
First off, while it "could" be possible that the vent all of a sudden clogged up, I'm not sure it's likely. The reason I say that is, those seals have been fine for well over 110K miles. Then, for them BOTH to go bad at one time, due to a vent that clogged while sitting in a dormant state, well, who really knows?? And, based on the OPs statement that it's really cold there, wouldn't that preclude that there should be NO PRESSURE built up inside that axle housing, during its rest period inside the barn? But, even with zero pressure inside that axle housing, since the oil is constantly against the bottom side of those seals, I guess it could just happen.

If the barn was really hot inside, like during a really hot summer, and this situation happened then, I think I could see that, if the vent had clogged, the built up pressure would have no place to go but, through maybe both wheel seals. Just a thought. But, again, stranger things have happened. We'll have to see what the OP does.
Scott

Most times wheel seals fail is from wheels being overheated ( braking on hills) or sitting for a long time and then used. Sometimes they just age out as well.
If you drive it this way you will have a real mess to clean up and yes you will have to replace the shoes. Right now if the shoes are not really oily I would use brake clean to clean them.
Like mentioned above check the vent on the top of the diff.they sometimes plug up and create pressure enough to cause a seal to go. The ony time I have seen 2 at once like that is from overheat.

If you do not open up the vent when you replace the seals, expect this to happen again as soon as the temperature increases within the differential. This might take lass than 100 miles of driving depending on how long it takes the fluid to warm up and build up enough pressure to force it out of the seals again.

John Wayne wrote:
If your going to clean the bearings as well as Fireup did I'd hand pack them before I put it all back together.

Is this correct for this axle? Shouldn't the bearing be lubed by the oil and not packed in grease?

Bill

If your going to clean the bearings as well as Fireup did I'd hand pack them before I put it all back together.