Front axle leak - intermediate remedy

[roger-wilco-66]

Now, what I'm gonna write now should definitly __not__ keep anybody from really fixing this. It's just what I found out when I had the problem myself.

There's a way of draining the fluid - whatever it is - from the housing of the steering knuckles, without dismounting or opening the boots. You only need to remove the protection guards from the steering knuckle. The metal protection guard is fastened with four bolts to the knuckle. You want to unfasten all bolts, beginning with the top ones, then the outer bolt on the low side, and then the innermost (toward the pumkin). Then take off the guard FAST. Have a BIG glass jar (or bucket whatever) ready, because the inner bolt thread is open to the inside of the knuckle housing. You might have to poke through a grease glob on top of the thread with a thin screwdriver in order to get things flowing. If you have a considerable amount of fluid in there, it may take up to half an hour to drain, and be sure your jar or bucket is large enough, because you won't like to watch this until it stops (about as interesting as watching flat paint drying...). I would recommend a big glass jar, because then it is better visible what flows out of the knuckle housing.

I also think this is a good advice to check if water entered the knuckle housing after fording or chasing the deuce through a water hole, expecially if you have zippered boots that are not sealed with silicone over the zipper (like I have).

As I said, if the inner seal is toast, it should be fixed of course, but this measure can buy you some time or give you the chance to check if there is anything in the housing that should not be there.

I hope this is understandable, english is not my native tongue... And: this only applies to my deuce. Don't know if there are knuckle housings without open threads to the inside.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[gringeltaube]

Very understandable... although not clear why you want to remove the guard completely? Any of the 4 lower bolt holes go all the way through to the inside. Usually I unscrew the inner/rear bolt to check for water.

G.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

I removed the mud guard for cleaning reasons, because I had a inner axle seal leak. Besides that, when fluid comes out, it might collect between the guard and the housing and create a future "phantom leak".

Good to know that the inner rear bolt thread is open to the inside, too, because one can check here without touching the guard at all. Thanks for mentioning this!

Cheers,
Mark