• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

differential seals - leaking and replacement

McSpeed

Well-known member
333
293
63
Location
Palmer, AK
Anybody from the been there done that files...my front and rear diffs are dripping gear oil out of the side seals.

What's the inside "shade tree" track on getting these fixed?

Drop the diffs? In the truck?

Can they be replaced with out any need to replace crush sleeves or reset the gears?
 

MGKMartin

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
182
23
18
Location
Portland, OR
I haven't done it yet, but according to my senior mechanic (37 years as a National Guard wheeled vehicle mechanic), it can be done in place. He is off tomorrow, but I can get more info Thursday if nobody else has responded by then.
 

papakb

Well-known member
2,288
1,185
113
Location
San Jose, Ca
Now's a good time to drain the hub and inspect inside. The hex drain plug can be a PITA to remove but everything else is easy. Both the side plates and the axle seals can be done in the vehicle. The job is pretty straightforward and can be done without removing it. Pull the wheel and remove the side plate. As I remember there's no gasket there, it's sealed with silicon sealer.
 

McSpeed

Well-known member
333
293
63
Location
Palmer, AK
I'm going to do brake pads while it is apart. I suppose oil getting on all that isn't too good for them. I'm hearing the outer seal washer may be the problem. I get the odor of gear oil from the hot rotors after driving for a bit...and am seeing the drips on the bottom of the rotors and on the floor. Nothing major, but enough to drive me crazy.
 

papakb

Well-known member
2,288
1,185
113
Location
San Jose, Ca
It's highly unlikely that geared hub oil is getting out to the rotors so if your seeing it there it's probably differential oil. That's another story altogether. I've never pulled the diffs out but suspect you will need to drop them to service the output shaft seals.
 

Retiredwarhorses

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,236
3,775
113
Location
Brentwood, Calif
A0/A1’s spindle seals are a PITA, A2 can be done in the truck, they modified the hanger plate to allow for removal of the seal. The A0A1 has to have the hangar removed...fun.
easier to drop the diff. Seals will not be available locally
 

155mm

Chief and Indian
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,168
375
83
Location
Guymon, OK
Every truck I worked on that said SFOR on the side, if it needed a diff seal, the bracket got 'modified' so I wouldnt have to drop the diff again for a seal. I am not saying it was pretty, but it was functional.

If its on the back, the diff brackets can be removed easier than the front, to get the front ones, you must pull the radiator and shroud.
 

McSpeed

Well-known member
333
293
63
Location
Palmer, AK
Just dropped the front diff. It wasn’t terrible coming out. On the left side the little rubber washer thing was letting oil between the axle hub flange and diff. On the right side the main axle seal is bad. Going to give it all a good clean up and maybe some paint. I got new seals from a vendor. I’m not sure if they go in dry or need some sealant put around the metal outside ring or not. My seal driver won’t work because the axle stub is in the way.

Did not have to pull the radiator. It slid out once I took the bracket bolts out of the diff. 94E28114-2A20-472A-9C61-45A64B5CCD24.jpg152DB8FF-6F2A-49CB-A97E-AA45DB695F21.jpg
 

155mm

Chief and Indian
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,168
375
83
Location
Guymon, OK
You only needed to pull rad and shroud if you were going to modify or remove bracket to save you time next time so you can change seals without dropping the whole diff.
 

McSpeed

Well-known member
333
293
63
Location
Palmer, AK
Interesting, my brackets appear open enough the seal could have been changed with the diff in. It looks tricky though to get a clean straight shot at driving the side seals in.

I'm going to take advantage of this outage to clean it all up nice...maybe some fresh paint on a few parts...new pads...and back in.

I'm sweating the rear ones due to the parking brake cable extra stuff.
 
Last edited:

McSpeed

Well-known member
333
293
63
Location
Palmer, AK
I admit, I don't understand how to get the torque application for the side yoke nuts from the online repair manual - can somebody point me in the right direction?
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks