Front Differential

[Josh B]

I got another bottle of 75/90 wmart synthetic today, maybe Sunday I can get some of this sorted out under there

I did realize today there is rainy season water across my road sometimes for 2 or 300 yards, sometimes more. They're actually good roads for country most of the time

 

[DRanger024]

Maybe someone put pudding in it

But in all seriousness, something is funky with your fluid. If your vent tube is still there and functioning, I’d think about that axle seal. If you decide you want to extend the vent tube, make sure whatever you use fits nice and snug over the nipple. I used fuel line for both axles and the T-case on mine because it’s black and looks more factory but that may be overkill.

 

[Josh B]

You guys have been very helpful here. Thank you!
How can it be flushed shy of a teardown.
I suppose it will take some dismantling to change those seals

 

[Blmpkn]

You guys have been very helpful here. Thank you!
How can it be flushed shy of a teardown.
I suppose it will take some dismantling to change those seals

Fill & drain until your happy with what the drained fluid looks like. Or do what mikkelstuff said :

If wanting to flush out that old differential gunk, I have drained the differential, refilled with cheap automatic transmission fluid, driven only a few miles, and then drained before refilling with synthetic differential lube. The thinner transmission fluid dissolves that heavier gunk.

 

[Curious Hound]

You guys have been very helpful here. Thank you!
How can it be flushed shy of a teardown.
I suppose it will take some dismantling to change those seals

The only way to really drain it thoroughly would be to remove the 3rd member. That means pulling the wheels, removing brakes, removing axle shafts, disconnect drive shaft, unbolt and remove 3rd member.

When I did mine, I drilled a hole on the front of the axle beam, near the bottom, welded in a bung and installed a drain plug.

 

[Josh B]

The only way to really drain it thoroughly would be to remove the 3rd member. That means pulling the wheels, removing brakes, removing axle shafts, disconnect drive shaft, unbolt and remove 3rd member.

When I did mine, I drilled a hole on the front of the axle beam, near the bottom, welded in a bung and installed a drain plug.

Any chance a braze weld would secure that bung? That's all I have to work with at the moment

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Used to see motorcycle frames brazed together...
A good fit on clean steel will be almost as strong as welded. And there isn't any torque on the bung, other than when you tighten the plug in place. Go for it.

 

[Josh B]

The only way to really drain it thoroughly would be to remove the 3rd member. That means pulling the wheels, removing brakes, removing axle shafts, disconnect drive shaft, unbolt and remove 3rd member.

When I did mine, I drilled a hole on the front of the axle beam, near the bottom, welded in a bung and installed a drain plug.

What is the third member?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The 3rd member is the pumpkin that comes out of the axle housing. The pumpkin is the gear housing that holds the gears.

 

[Josh B]

What is the third member?

"When I did mine, I drilled a hole on the front of the axle beam, near the bottom, welded in a bung and installed a drain plug."

Can you do this without removing the third member? Like Shran said using the ATF to flush it, can I still replace the seals at that point?
I think in other words, to replace the three seals, after removing the three front shafts, does it still include removing the pumkin?

 

[Curious Hound]

"When I did mine, I drilled a hole on the front of the axle beam, near the bottom, welded in a bung and installed a drain plug."

Can you do this without removing the third member? Like Shran said using the ATF to flush it, can I still replace the seals at that point?
I think in other words, to replace the three seals, after removing the three front shafts, does it still include removing the pumkin?

You could carefully drill the hole without disassembling everything. I'm too conservative to try that. I wouldn't want to accidentally hit the gears with the drill. I'm also too "detail oriented" about cleanliness and wouldn't want to leave any drill shavings in there. It is said that using grease instead if cutting oil on the drill will help make the shavings stick to the drill so they come out when you pull the drill out. That's not my style. When I had my axle apart, I was 99-110% positive it had never been opened since it left the factory. I wanted it clean with a capital "C".

The passenger side shaft is retained with a C-clip inside the differential. It will not come out without removing the 3rd member from the axle beam. That will make it extremely difficult to replace the seal on that side.

Note: once everything is disassembled, it can be re-assembled without the C-clip. There us an excellent write-up in out tech library about the "C-clip eliminator" mod, using springs on the axle shaft. After that mod, the passenger side axle shaft can be removed without taking the 3rd member off the axle beam. I have pictures of that way back in my build thread.

 

[SenorNoob]

It might be possible to do them in place, but if you're that far into it. You only have the bolts around the face and the pivot bolt left holding it in.

Edit: I forgot about that clip. I'd like to see somebody change the seal with the stub shaft still in. That'd be impressive.

 

[Josh B]

You could carefully drill the hole without disassembling everything. Imtoo conservative to try that. I wouldn't want to accidentally hit the gears with the drill. I'm also too "detail oriented" about cleanliness and wouldn't want to leave any drill shavings in there. It is said that using grease instead if cutting oil in the drill will help make the shavings stick to the drill so they come out when you pull the drill out. That's not my style. When I had my axle apart, I was 99-110% positive it had never been opened since it left the factory. I wanted it clean with a capital "C".

The passenger side shaft is retained with a C-clip inside the differential. It will not come out without removing the 3rd member from the axle beam. That will make it extremely difficult to replace the seal on that side.

Note: once everything is disassembled, it can be re-assembled without the C-clip. There us an excellent write-up in out tech library about the "C-clip eliminator" mod, using springs on the axle shaft. After that mod, the passenger side axle shaft can be removed without taking the 3rd member off the axle beam. I have pictures of that way back in my build thread.

I have read about that Eric, thanks for reminding me, it's a good improvement

 

[SenorNoob]

Once you have it apart, you can drill a hole into the back of the lowest bolt in the differential to use as a drain. It's slow in the summer here. (95F) I wouldn't want to try draining it that way in cold weather. It'd take days.