Rear axle leak????? Smells like a fire.

RickM · Jan 3, 2013

Ok, I am going to first say that I did a search on this and it would appear that I think there is a great bit of info on this forum about what I THINK is my issue, but I need a little shade tree mechanical help here.

This past weekend I replaced the brake pads on my wife's 2004 d2. I probably should have put on new rotors but that is a different issue. Anyway I noticed on the drivers side rear there was an insane amount of fluid/greese/oil all over the caliper. Since then, I have noticing that after some highway driving it will smell like something is on fire, and a little smoke is coming off the rotor and caliper area. I was initially thinking that somehow brake fluid was escaping from the caliper but after digging in a bit I am seeing fluid again. Sooooo. I think it is a hub axle seal that has gone bad. Sounds like these are not to hard to replace but before I get into this I wanted to see what you guys think? Am I close on this or am I dead wrong. Does not sound like I need any special tools or anything more than some "try hard" to do this job. Does that sound correct. Anyone know a part number for the seals?

Thanks in advance.

The Fourth Amigo · Jan 3, 2013

Most likely, you will need to replace the hub assy. I had gear oil pass through the assy. and get onto my brakes before. I also had the o-ring between the hub and axle leak but it did not contaminate the brake shoes.

It's not a hard job.

Roustabout · Jan 3, 2013

I don't think I was leaking as bad as you but my leak stopped after adding some White Shepherd and switching to Redline Heavy Shockproof fluid. I was worried that the leak had washed out the grease that's packed in the hub from the factory. I repacked it by removing the abs sensor and pumping it full of grease though the port (my gun fit nicely with the coupler removed). It's been working fine for 9000 miles.
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listerdiesel · Jan 3, 2013

There is an O-ring which seals the hub into the axle casing, that leaks, and there is the hub seal which is integral with the hub/bearing, so new hub needed if the seal is shot.

Normally it's the O-ring.

Peter

Disco2Guy · Jan 3, 2013

Yeah, the hub isn't really serviceable. If you're lucky it's just the o-ring, but I'd count on replacing the hub.

The rear hub replacement is pretty easy. To remove the axle from the hub, I used a 4" dia. black pvc pipe, placed the shaft through the pipe, and placed a socket on the end of the axle. It came right out with a few whacks of the hammer. Place a bunched up rag underneath the pipe so the splines don't get messed up when the axle falls. Oh, and you'll want to cut the pipe so the axle doesn't fall any further than needed.

sickws6 · Jan 7, 2013

listerdiesel said:
There is an O-ring which seals the hub into the axle casing, that leaks, and there is the hub seal which is integral with the hub/bearing, so new hub needed if the seal is shot.

Normally it's the O-ring.

Peter

I thought mine was the O ring but it was the hub assy

listerdiesel · Jan 7, 2013

sickws6 said:
I thought mine was the O ring but it was the hub assy

That's a real bummer over in the US, they are ?185.00 on ebay.co.uk or more than double that for genuine LR.

Cheaper to buy a used axle and use the shafts and hubs out of that than buy a new hub, it isn't the most elegant but it keeps you on the road at lower cost.

We lucked on a couple of very low mileage D2 axles a while back, not super-cheap but for what came with them, which was everything including the radius arms etc etc it was well worth it in spares value.

Also picked up some shafts and hubs on ebay.

You stand the risk of having a failure on a used hub, but for the money difference it's a risk worth taking.

The other problems we are starting to see here on high-mileage trucks is the refusal of the drive shaft to come out of the hub, which is a double whammy. Seen two or three now that have rusted solid inside the hub splines, had to use heat and a big press to get the shaft out.

Peter

jymmiejamz · Jan 7, 2013

It's never the o-ring.

listerdiesel · Jan 7, 2013

jymmiejamz said:
It's never the o-ring.

We had an O-ring leak on ours, but probably the one in 1000 that does.

We have also seen leaking where a vehicle has been parked on a slant and the diff oil has run down the axle tube to flood the bearing and seal.

Peter

dcarr1971 · Jan 28, 2013

Anyone have a size and part# for the o-ring in question?

The Fourth Amigo · Jan 28, 2013

LR Part # FTC4919

dcarr1971 · Jan 29, 2013

Thanks.

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Rear axle leak????? Smells like a fire.

RickM

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The Fourth Amigo

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Roustabout

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listerdiesel

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Disco2Guy

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sickws6

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listerdiesel

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jymmiejamz

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listerdiesel

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dcarr1971

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The Fourth Amigo

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dcarr1971

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