r0x Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Please take a look at the photo. Whatever it is, it looks like it's been going on for a while. Happy New Year! r0x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 could it just be grease breaking down? I don't think it's anything to worry about but I've been known to be wrong (ok, stop laughing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0x Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 I don't think it's grease... It you look closely you can see a drop of brown fluid just under / to the left of that shiny nut in the upper middle part of the picture. Note the stains on the hub and the wheel... The passenger side is bone dry. Thanks for reply! r0x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 (edited) check the consistency of the droplet. If it's greasy or oily, it's probably from a lubrication point. If it's thin like water, it probably is. You may have gotten water in the axle or something and have a bit of rust happening that is coloring the droplets. From the looks of the color, I would say it's rust. No intentional fluids are that color. edit... I just looked at the FSM for the 99 and my guess would be that your grease seal has allowed water into the bearing and allowed rust to happen. You might want to pull it apart and replace the seals and bearings though I don't think it's time critical. If the droplet is oily, it might be the oil seal in the shaft assembly has failed. Edited December 29, 2006 by k9sar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 It might also be brake fluid. Remove the drum and inspect the piston for leaking. If it's not the brake piston, then it's your axle seal. Bummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88blk4x4 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 (edited) if it's a axle seal leaking and it goes all of the way out, you will have to replace shoes and probably drum....after gear oil gets on shoes, they wont work right Edited December 29, 2006 by 88blk4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 It might also be brake fluid. Remove the drum and inspect the piston for leaking. If it's not the brake piston, then it's your axle seal. Bummer. bingo!! check brake fluid level asap. then look inside the drum. if it's wet right there where the pistons push on the shoes then i bet that's what it is. the axle grease is freaking black and way thick even with a healthy dose of water in it wouldn't be transparent. do those drums look like they've been in water/mud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 If it's real thin, it's brake fluid. If it's thick and stinky, it's gear oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0x Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 (edited) The leaking fluid feels like motor oil. Break fluid level is fine. No, this truck hasn't been in any serious mud recently. I had the axle seal replaced on that side back in September. The receipt from the shop reads as follows: REMOVE AND REPLACE WHEEL BEARING, WHEEL, ONE SIDE $106.60 BEARING AXLE AXLE SEAL $34.88 7003161 AXLE BEARING $127.31 Needless to say, I'll be paying those jokers a visit tomorrow morning - just what I need... :-0 Thanks again for all replies! r0x Edited December 29, 2006 by r0x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 yeah, definitely go back and have them have a looksy. be present when they do it, if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0x Posted December 30, 2006 Author Share Posted December 30, 2006 It turned out to be a gear oil leak out of the ABS sensor seal. The shop tech pulled off the break drum and showed me that the seal and breaks are bone dry. He replaced a washer, tightened things up, and sprayed off all of the caked on oil - you can in the enclosed see how nice and clean it is now! ;-) (View is from the front of the driver side, rear wheel looking toward the back.) The leak was minimal - the tech verified that there is enough gear fluid in the LSD axle body. Thanks again for all replies and Happy New Year! r0x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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