Leaking D35

[FritzTKatt]

When I put my truck up on blocks to start working on the suspension lift, the diff started leaking. There have been no spots in my driveway or anything so it's somehow convenient it did this when I plan to have the whole thing apart anyway.

It looks like the pumpkin can be unbolted from the cover, and then there is a bolt on the back-driver side that it would pivot on. Is this actually a pivot bolt?

I'm hoping to not have to pull the whole thing apart given that the leak looks like the passenger side shaft seal... Just permatex the main gasket and be done.

Don't have time to do the U-joint upgrade or c-clip eliminator, which sucks.

Another question: can the pumpkin be removed without pulling everything down to the knuckle? I remember that the passenger shaft can be pulled apart at the slip joint to keep from having to remove that side (although I need to do spindle seals anyway...)

 

[Andy D]

No help, but please post your progress, The cover gasket on the Rat has a weep that is faster than I like, but not fast enough to bother with . I have had D 44s to play with for 30 yrs. If a D44 drips , it means that it isnt empty . I have not reached my comfort zone with the D 35 yet. TIA

 

[FritzTKatt]

Progress is in my thread in the 4x4 suspensions section. Continuing from my discussion of what to do with the truck.

Hopefully it won't be an output seal... cover gasket I can deal with.

 

[adsm08]

The LH shaft will have to be fully removed. I don' know any way around it.


Andy, If you have played with the TTB D44s for years, then you have played with the TTB D35 for years too. Just think of the 35 as a 44 with smaller parts.

 

[FritzTKatt]

Does the LH shaft have a C-clip? I don't think it would being held directly because it's a nub shaft solid with the pumpkin?

 

[PanamaExpat]

LH shaft does not have a c-clip. Changing the axle shaft seals isn't a big job though.

 

[brinker88]

Here's what I did back in the day:

http://www.rangerforum.net/f36/replace-3rd-member-ttb-d35-discussion-thread-869/

I might also add that the roller bearing on the driver side for the axle shaft is the same as the rear wheel bearing out of a jeep dana 35. The outer seal on the 3rd member is the same exact seal as a Dana 44 TTB.

 

[FritzTKatt]

I think you needed a bit of gear oil there, Brinker.

I had the whole axle off so I put the driver side on the bench and got the pumpkin off it. The spindle was definitely siezed up on there well, even though the bolts came right off. Had to WD-40, heat, and beat with wood in between. The c-clip popped right off for me with 2 screwdrivers and a light push. The STOCK u-joints are wrecked, and 5-760's aren't available locally (at least at Advance, who will deliver to me). So I'll have to do it with regular 297's.

All the u-joints are trash... I don't really have time to do U-joints at all. Absolutely no idea how they haven't blown up yet. The look like grenades without a pin in them.

Can I plug up the output holes to keep debris out and run pavement without shafts? I really need to get the truck on the road. Then I can just do the U-joints at work and also clearance them, find a spring for the C-clip eliminator. Then put it all back together?

 

[4x4junkie]

Can I plug up the output holes to keep debris out and run pavement without shafts? I really need to get the truck on the road. Then I can just do the U-joints at work and also clearance them, find a spring for the C-clip eliminator. Then put it all back together?

You can do that, sure (you could even leave the pig off the beam too, though don't do this for real long). Don't forget to also plug the backside of your spindles.

Find the Spicer 760s, they're very well worth getting over anything else, even if you have to order them (they're usually all over Ebay (Motors) for pretty cheap).

 

[FritzTKatt]

I'm still unsure why it leaked in the first place. It never leaked a drop on me in almost a year, and then it started pouring... right after I put it up to lift it...

The output seals look great, but could be a little loose around the shaft. Don't seem cracked or anything. The cover seal didn't leak (has red permatex liberally applied, and a nice contact pattern on the gasket faces).

For the price of spindle seals, I hope the shaft can be removed multiple times before the seal is wrecked.

 

[FritzTKatt]

Looks like it came from the out-put to passenger side. Seal was in about 99% condition when inspected... Sprayed out the diff with acetone, barely any junk came out (I think it was all recently-installed junk from removing it, all the crap around the housing).

Sealed it up with permatex, did the U-joints, put new spindle seals on (old ones were TRASH). The yokes were all pretty beat up and will not accept U-joints when these fail (slightly bent, out of round from the press). So when they do I'll have to get new shafts and proper 760's. The local 4x shop wants $29 and some change per.

Found a spring at work for a C-clip eliminator.