Rear axle oil leak

alright,

i have recently in the last 2 weeks replaced the rear wheel bearings on my 1990 def 90, along with changing the rear drive drive flanges to the HD type, due to the standard one being worn.

i have covered around 1000 miles since doing this, now there is axle oil leaking through the HD drive flange caps?? what could be causing this?? is there an oil seal in the stub axle that could need replacing.

i changed all the gaskets, and inner bearing seal etc when i did the bearings, it just seems odd that is is both sides that have started to leak today, and after doing around 1000 miles??

any help and guidence would be much appreciated.

thanks

check that the axle breather isn't blocked.

As Trewey says

If it is blocked, the axle as it gets warm will cause the pressure to build up inside, and if the breather is blocked it can force oil either out of the diff oil pinion seal (this happened with mine) or axle hubs

This link will tell you more

http://www.landroverexpedition.com/technical/quick-fix-oil-leak-from-the-rear-differential/

your hubs should be sealed from axle oil with frc8222 oil seal which stops oil from stub axle from diff getting to bearings but will let oil reach drive member splines which is normally sealed with plastic cap ,later la onwards use seal in stub axle to stop oil getting to wheel bearings ,this also stops oil from getting to drive member splines ,more wear is usualy found in later axles drive member splins than earlier because of this all though alot of later axles with seal in stub axle leak and oil finds its way there anyhow,so you havent problem with axle unless rear hub seal leaks oil down inside of tyre just need to seal drive member

i had same other week a blocked breather and ended up doin the axle oil seal behind the bearing again after i had unblocked the breather and make sure you seal the flange with rtv sealent

the drive member will leak breather blocked or not with correct oil level unless sealed

saxokid18 said:

make sure you seal the flange with rtv sealent

Click to expand...

I'm probably going to make a real fool of myself, but I thought the flange was the part that screws to the prop and therefore rotates through the oil seal?

Wouldn't it just rip any sealent off, or does RTV stay liquid/flexible?

Thank you for all of your replies. i will take the breather off later today and check to see if it is blocked.

should i put some sort of sealant on the threads of the HD drive flanges? as they are the threaded cap type?

also, jamesmartin mentioned the frc8222 seal could be the issue, is this the one that is presses into the hub, that sits ont he stub axle? or is there another one inside the stub axle, that the half shaft goes through?

thanks

maybe i didnt explain it very well frc8222 seals wheel bearings from oil in axle case ,if that seal leaked oil would come out of rear of hub as that seal isnt oil seal but grease seal ,oil is supposed to reach drive member splines on yours later 300 tdi have seal in stub axle that stops oil reaching drive member and wheel bearings ,but drive member spline wear can be an issue as they get no lubrication,your problem is not oil reaching your new drive members but the fact they arent oil tight sealant may help

Excellent diagnostics - the axle breather was well and truley blocked up, looks like it has been for a while, that could explain the rear axle always being covered in gooo.

thanks for your help

Glad you found it

Just hope for you that the seals have survived - you can find that you still have a leak because the oil being forced past the seal damaged it

I foudn that with my rear diff pinion seal - blocked breather (banjo bolt) was forcing oil out, but it had damaged the seal so had to replace as well

im hoping they should be ok, they are only 2/3 weeks old. plus i didnt drive it much once i saw the oil dripping out. but we will see!!

it will still leak unless sealed as oil is supposed to flow there

Ive but some sealent on the threads of the HD drive flanges as well. so hopefully that will cure it as well.

Thanks