am i missing some seals? water gets in bearings too easy.

[compleckz]

i literally have to repack my wheel bearings and spindle bearings after every wheeling trip, water gets in every single time, and fucks up the grease bad.. im beginning to think im doing something wrong, or i am missing some sort of seal.

brand new this year: (2) skf spindle bearings, (2) spindle seals, (4) timken wheel bearings, (2) wheel bearing seals.. i silicone the hubs to the rotors, because one of the o-ring seals got f'ed.. the water is either coming in through the spindle seal or the wheel bearing seal, but the inner bearing is always worse-- so i assume its mostly coming through the wheel bearing seal.

two of my bearings are TOAST.. i repacked them less than a month ago and they were still mint, i went through some deep water last week wheelin, drove the truck once since then, took it apart today, and some of the roller bearings are worn/beveled noticeably, and the cage is very loose, oh and as always the bearings barely spun by hand they were so caked with black crappy grease water dirt oil mud mix.

in this pic:

i do NOT have: #36, 37, 38, 51 <- truck didn't have them the first time i took it apart. described in this: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/pdf_documents/Dana_Ford_35.pdf

as:
36 — (2) Slinger
37 — (2) Oil Seal
38 — (2) Spacer – Wheel Bearing Spindle
51 — (2) Brake Dust Shield (i have the big splash shields though)

i didnt know they existed until looking through these exploded views today. are those used on all trucks?

also my spindles do not seem worn where the inner wheel bearing seal rides on it.

 

[compleckz]

well it was hard to make out but i think my bill of materials # is 610652, and that chart says i should have 37 and 51.. i dont think i *need* 51, and i looked up 37 and DUH, yea i have that on the end of the shaft..

..


so yea i dont know what else could be wrong

 

[MAKG]

That dust shield might keep splashed water out of the wheel bearing seal in the back of the rotor.

Now, if you're submerging the hub, there really is no way to avoid getting water in it. It's not vented and sudden cooling WILL draw water in from wherever the weakest spot is (generally the wheel bearing or rear axleshaft seal, or else the hub O-ring).

 

[DangerRanger]

As much as it sucks, when I go wheeling and I get submerged, I just plan on taking the front apart and re-greasing the spindle bearings. Wheel bearings haven't been a problem, but I cannot keep water out of my spindle bearings either. I know this is no help, but maybe just to let you know you are not alone. Good luck and post if you have find a good solution

 

[compleckz]

(generally the wheel bearing or rear axleshaft seal, or else the hub O-ring).

i definitely think its the wheel bearing seal, because i have a c-clip eliminator spring on the pass side axle, which pushes the axle seal against the spindle pretty tight. also i have a thick bead of silicone in place of the hub o-ring, which i re-silicone each time i remove the hub.

and yes, i completely submerge it, i did about 7 times that trip.

As much as it sucks, when I go wheeling and I get submerged, I just plan on taking the front apart and re-greasing the spindle bearings. Wheel bearings haven't been a problem, but I cannot keep water out of my spindle bearings either. I know this is no help, but maybe just to let you know you are not alone. Good luck and post if you have find a good solution

honestly this is my only beef with the D35 now, after i blew the spiders, i went with a lockright, 760x's w/ full clips. i quickly egged out the yokes on a set of shafts with the circle clips, and broke 3 shafts, so i went back to stock clips, but tacked the caps..

the tacked caps lasted many trips, and lots of abuse--until i popped the right front coil again, the frame came crashing down on the axle and bent the bump stop, broke the shock mounting bolt, all of that in turn flexed the front end to the extreme, it bent the outer diff seal on the right side, and broke 4 of the tacks on the outer joint, after i jacked the truck up and got the coil back in i drove off the trail 4wd with just the stock clips on 2 of the caps, i spit one of them, and rounded out both yokes they were in..

so yea.. i dont go looking for water and mud, but if its on the trail, yea i go through it, yea i enjoy it.. but i like the rocks better. but its impossible to avoid water, and really--i shouldn't have to.

 

[compleckz]

i've done these bearings a million times, i've never had a 'failure'.. because i always check them.. the nuts never back off or come loose, the bearings never fry with good grease--i dailyed the truck for over a year with no water/mud--but with the 33s, with 0 problems and 0 repacks.. so i guess its just something i gotta deal with. and it pisses me off.

 

[Ranger44]

Maybe this:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/699930/4

Look at the bottom of the page.

 

[compleckz]

Maybe this:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/699930/4

Look at the bottom of the page.

thanks, i do have a spindle seal in there, i was able to get it from a local independent parts store.. its very similar to the motorcraft one, but it dosent have the plastic collar around the edge, but i wouldnt think that would help any--actually it did have it, but it broke off very easily, while installing the seal

my drivers side spindle bearing was actually spotless and had clean grease inside still -- you can sort of see the seal in this pic

this is what the OEM one looked like after 100k:

 

[rickcdewitt]

As much as it sucks, when I go wheeling and I get submerged, I just plan on taking the front apart and re-greasing the spindle bearings. Wheel bearings haven't been a problem, but I cannot keep water out of my spindle bearings either. I know this is no help, but maybe just to let you know you are not alone. Good luck and post if you have find a good solution

its nice to know someone else has exactly the same problem lol.no one has posted here whining about it so i thought it was just me.but at least you don't need to buy seals to regrease the spindle bearing.my wheel bearings have fared alright but that damn spindle bearing has cost me a few stub shafts.almost reason in itself to do a d44 knuckle swap .

complekz-have you test fitted the seal over the splindle to be sure you are getting the right seal?or a cheap brand?

 

[compleckz]

well i found something very surprising today, apparently the seals i have (brand unknown), are JUNK!!

i went and asked specifically for timken set37 bearings as i always do, and when i asked for the seals, the guy said, timken brand too? i said sure.
the timken has a lot more rubber, smaller diameter and thicker rubber, also its in a V shape, so it actually seals twice, it is so tight on the spindle-- some of that would be wear on the old seal, but the old seals are only 5 months old and never looked that good.

 

[crbnunit]

Good luck. I have tried nearly everything and can't seem to keep water out. I'm swaping out the D-35 for a solid 44 just because of this problem. I'm tired of all the maint. it takes to keep the D-35 alive.

 

[dusto2]

what about the seal in between the rotor and the locking hub their is suppose to be a seal there too

 

[compleckz]

i silicone the hubs to the rotors, because one of the o-ring seals got f'ed..

.

 

[compleckz]

Good luck. I have tried nearly everything and can't seem to keep water out. I'm swaping out the D-35 for a solid 44 just because of this problem. I'm tired of all the maint. it takes to keep the D-35 alive.

i just recently got to a point where i could actually wheel without breaking shit every trip out... im not breaking axles with the tacked caps and 760xs and the locker.. but im having to do wheel bearings once a week..

so unfortunately its looking like i'll be one of the many people with a picture of my 35 sitting on the garage floor, with me flipping it the bird, while i'm swapping in an eb44.. not for strength, but for ease of maintenance!

 

[4x4junkie]

honestly this is my only beef with the D35 now,

almost reason in itself to do a d44 knuckle swap .

Good luck. I have tried nearly everything and can't seem to keep water out. I'm swaping out the D-35 for a solid 44 just because of this problem. I'm tired of all the maint. it takes to keep the D-35 alive.

Has anyone ever thought to simply try putting the D44 seals onto the D35 shaft if they're so much better??? They are... after all, the same exact thing. (The D35 even had the same seals up until '93 or so).