Oil in CV joints / Spline wear on halfshaft

JohnPort · Monday at 13:34

Hi there - just dismantling the front wheel hubs on my 1987 Defender 110 ex MOD to try and see whats causing the squeaking noise when driving. Seems like there is lots of oil in the hub, but not much grease. Wheel bearings seem OK but are oily with not a lot of grease in them. Same with the CV joints.

So, there must be a leaking seal letting the axle/diff oil into the front hub? Does anyone know which seal it is and where to find it? Also, is it worth replacing halfshafts and CV joints while it's all out? They look OK to me, not much play in between the CV joint and the drive flange, and hardly any play between the CV and halfshaft. Lots of slack between the halfshaft and the diff though...? Attached pic of halfshaft spline wear at the diff end.

Cheers!

lynall · Monday at 14:50

tAxle oil in the wheel beaings is quite normal, not correct but not unusual, some people remove the axle seal ro allow the oil into the hubs as the grease only set up is a bit ****.

tottot · Monday at 14:50

What you are thinking is all wrong.
What you are describing is how the set up should be for Land Rover Ninety and One Ten models. The "Defender did not come in until late 1990. [this distinction can be important when ordering parts]
I have a pre Defender 1990 Ninety that has the same axle lubrication system as yours.
EP 80/90 axle oil goes in the diff and in the swivel housing for the CV's [ swivel must be turned to full lock to fill]
The hub bearings are lubricated by oil migrating down the shaft from the swivel housing and some oil is likely getting to swivel housing from the diff as well so keep topped up if you have a leak any where on the axle.
The only time to put a tad of grease on the bearings would be if hub has been apart for work like a new seal.
This is to lube them until oil works through. It is the same system that Series have. In my mind it is a better method than the sealed separate areas with grease of later models, wheel bearings soon give up if grease escapes. Some people remove internal seals so oil can migrate to wheel bearings in the ole way.
Mine has nearly 200k on the clock and I have not ever needed to renew a CV or hub bearing on my hard worked farm truck.
Your shaft has a little bit of wear but ok, most of the slack will be in the diff itself likely between crown wheel and pinion. If you can just rock the prop about an 1/8th of a turn that is pretty good, one of mine has a lot more but still does its job.
Squeak that sounds like a Canary singing is going to be a prop UJ partially seized and on the way out. Sort soon.
Have not typed that much for ages, Phew.

tottot · Monday at 14:52

And it is correct for pre Defender models @lynall

JohnPort · Monday at 15:20

Thanks for that - OK right, no need to worry then! Yes, it's a 110 (although it does say "defender" on the bonnet..?) 1987 ex MOD. Must be an earlier type axle set up as the stub axle has a (ceramic?) bush and seal - not a roller bearing and seal like later models. I was surprised at how "new" everything looked inside - I was sure it was going to be all dried out and rusty.

So totot - does this mean I don't need "one shot grease" for the swivels? I can just fill using the EP80/90 axle oil?

lynall · Monday at 15:35

tottot said:
And it is correct for pre Defender models @lynall

I actually knew that, but anything post 200 comes up on my gaydar so I try no to comment

lynall · Monday at 15:37

tottot said:
What you are thinking is all wrong.
What you are describing is how the set up should be for Land Rover Ninety and One Ten models. The "Defender did not come in until late 1990. [this distinction can be important when ordering parts]
I have a pre Defender 1990 Ninety that has the same axle lubrication system as yours.
EP 80/90 axle oil goes in the diff and in the swivel housing for the CV's [ swivel must be turned to full lock to fill]
The hub bearings are lubricated by oil migrating down the shaft from the swivel housing and some oil is likely getting to swivel housing from the diff as well so keep topped up if you have a leak any where on the axle.
The only time to put a tad of grease on the bearings would be if hub has been apart for work like a new seal.
This is to lube them until oil works through. It is the same system that Series have. In my mind it is a better method than the sealed separate areas with grease of later models, wheel bearings soon give up if grease escapes. Some people remove internal seals so oil can migrate to wheel bearings in the ole way.
Mine has nearly 200k on the clock and I have not ever needed to renew a CV or hub bearing on my hard worked farm truck.
Your shaft has a little bit of wear but ok, most of the slack will be in the diff itself likely between crown wheel and pinion. If you can just rock the prop about an 1/8th of a turn that is pretty good, one of mine has a lot more but still does its job.
Squeak that sounds like a Canary singing is going to be a prop UJ partially seized and on the way out. Sort soon.
Have not typed that much for ages, Phew.

My 200tdi 90 has had umpteen sets of wheel bearings, always due to water ingress.

tottot · Monday at 17:12

JohnPort said:
Thanks for that - OK right, no need to worry then! Yes, it's a 110 (although it does say "defender" on the bonnet..?) 1987 ex MOD. Must be an earlier type axle set up as the stub axle has a (ceramic?) bush and seal - not a roller bearing and seal like later models. I was surprised at how "new" everything looked inside - I was sure it was going to be all dried out and rusty.

So totot - does this mean I don't need "one shot grease" for the swivels? I can just fill using the EP80/90 axle oil?

Yes Just EP80/90 oil to fill swivels. Some say use grease is they leak some on the ball housing to reduce the issue. Thing is when heated while driving the type of grease in one shot gets just as runny as oil. It is best to fix the seal. Bush is a Bronze alloy and an available part

tottot · Monday at 17:22

lynall said:
My 200tdi 90 has had umpteen sets of wheel bearings, always due to water ingress.

Do you drive through over axle deep water a lot?
Although a 1990 truck mine is a late made 19j with the old axle lube system. Has 200tdi engine these days.

lynall · Monday at 17:46

tottot said:
Do you drive through over axle deep water a lot?
Although a 1990 truck mine is a late made 19j with the old axle lube system. Has 200tdi engine these days.

Yes used to go to a few pay and play sites, always went for the deep water! learnt that only way to make sure was to strip and regrease after every day out.

tottot · Monday at 17:58

When I was trialing a lot with my series I had those flanges that had a screw fitting in them and replaced with grease nipples. After a dirty day fresh grease pumped in. If there was water in there don't know where it went but never had to replace a bearing.

Oil in CV joints / Spline wear on halfshaft

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