bamaredneck

I checked the dope in the differentials on my truck and they were both low so I fill up until it runs out of the fill hole like I do on everything. My truck is sitting on a slight angle and after several hours I come back and find dope running out on the wheel. I figure axle seal is gone. Am I right? I read on a few posts here , people talking about not overfilling, and that 3/4 of inch below fill is full or it will leak. How hard is it to replace the oil seal? Is it in the axle tube or in the hub? Any ideas or advice would be appreciated. What am I looking at to have a shop do this or is this something I could do? Modest mechanical skills.

Geico266

Is the leak in the front or rear axle?

Rear axle seals are easy to replace. 4 bolts and pull the axle, and the seal is right there. Jack up that side and oil won't run out. Good time to change the differential fluid completely.

bamaredneck

Did I overfill it ? I did the front the same sas the rear, should I pull a little dope out ? The axle seal is on the rear, drivers side. Is the seal in the HUB or in the axle tube . This is my first diesel and first ton to own.

angelfire7

Check this also.

Axle vent cleanout:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/d...d.php?t=115036



Apparently pressure builds up in the axle housing and if the vents are clogged it forces the fluid out of the seals.
Keep us posted.
Joseph

Chrisreyn

Bama, the rear diff has a check plug on the cover, ussually an inset 3/8" drive square fitting...the fluid level should be level with the bottom of that opening when the axle is level.

replacing the seal is not hard at all.

Jack it up, support on stands, chock the front wheels, release parking brake
remove the tires
place a drain pan or small bucket under teh hub-end to catch any drips
remove teh 8 bolts holding the axle to the hub( the ones on teh end of the hub that the tires center over..)
carefully slide the axle out out of the tube( a shop rag in one hand makes this less messy)
remove axle nut retainer( small clip stuck in between axle nut and threads of spindle)DONT LOOSE this clip
remove axle nut( off the top of my head, I think it is a 2 9/16ths nut)
NOTE* Dodge recommends replacing both nut and retainer every time axle is pulled
remove the barke drum( might take some effort and a medium sized hammer, hit the sides of the drum to break the brake pads loose)
remove drum and inspect brake pads.. if oil got on them at all replace them.
remove old seal from drum, inspect/replace bearing if needed
seat new seal flush with liip of brake drum, prelube seal's "lip" with a little oil on your finger.
carefully set drum back onto spindle and slide it into place over brake pads.
replace axle nut and torque the nut to 120-140 ft lbs. Then back off 120 degrees.
clean end of axle tube and axle, apply a light layer of gasket material to end of axle tube. repalce axle and tighten axle bolts..
replace tires and adjust brakes..
lower truck and check rear diff fluid level...
drink can of preferred beverage....

nuttin to it!

Ace

I remember seeing somewhere the D70U should be filled to one inch below the hole.

Chrisreyn

Hmm, does someone have the FSM or something to tell? I was told level with the opening at the trany shop here, but hey, they've been wrong before...

heres what I could find on this, but this is for the 94 and up model years, nto sure how it would apply to ours:

Date: May 11, 2004

THIS BULLETIN SUPERSEDES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 03-001-04, DATED JANUARY 13, 2004.

Models: 2004 (DR) Ram Truck

2004 (HB) Durango
2004 (DR) Ram Truck
2004 (AN) Dakota

Discussion:
The axle fill holes on some 2004 Dodge Truck axles may be located considerably higher than
the actual fluid level. Filling the axle until the fluid comes out of the fill hole will over fill the axle,
which could cause fluid foaming. When checking fluid level or filling a rear axle with fluid, you
must measure distance from the bottom of the fill hole to the actual fluid level. This can easily
be accomplished using a pipe cleaner or piece of wire. Make a 90 degree bend in the wire 2
inches from the end. The wire can then be inserted into the axle fill hole to use as a dipstick.
Measure the distance from the bend to the oil level, The fluid levels for the axles are shown in
the table below. (HB) DURANGO
AXLE FLUID LEVEL
(measured from the bottom of the fill hole) FLUID CAPACITY
8.25 Rear Axle 22 mm (7/8 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.0 L (70 oz.) - SAE 75W-140 Synthetic
9.25 Rear Axle 31 mm (1 5/8 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.1 L (72 oz.) - SAE 75W-140 Synthetic
C-2105F - Front Axle 20mm (3/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 1.6L (56 oz.) - SAE 75W-90 Non Synthetic


NOTE: The Trac-Lok feature is not available on Durango rear axles. Traction control is
provided electronically through the ABS system. Trac-Lok additives or friction modifiers
are not required. (DR) RAM TRUCK 1500
AXLE FLUID LEVEL
(measured from the bottom of the fill hole) FLUID CAPACITY
9.25 Rear Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.1 L (72 oz.) - SAE 75W-140 Synthetic
C-2105F - Front Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 1.6L (56 oz.) - SAE 75W-90 Non Synthetic


NOTE: The Trac-Lok feature is available on Ram Truck 1500 series rear axles. Trac-Lok
additives are required on axles equipped with Trac Lok.

(DR) RAM TRUCK 2500 - 3500
AXLE FLUID LEVEL
(measured from the bottom of the fill hole) FLUID CAPACITY
10.5 Rear Axle 25 mm (1 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.5L (85 oz.) - SAE 75W-90 Synthetic
11.5 Rear Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 3.6 L (122 oz.) - SAE 75W-90 Synthetic
9 1/4 Front Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.2 L (76 oz.) - SAE 75W-90 Synthetic

NOTE: The limited slip feature on 2500/3500 series Ram Trucks utilizes the Trac Rite
locking feature which does not require Trac-Lok additives or friction modifiers. (AN) DAKOTA
AXLE FLUID LEVEL
(measured from the bottom of the fill hole) FLUID CAPACITY
8.25 Rear Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.1 L (72 oz.) - SAE 75W-140 Synthetic
9.25 Rear Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 2.1 L (72 oz.) - SAE 75W-140 Synthetic
C-2105F - Front Axle 6 mm (1/4 in.) ± 6 mm (1/4 in.) 1.6L (56 oz.) - SAE 75W-90 Non Synthetic

dpuckett

ChrisReyn- is this the same shop that rebuilt your Getrag? I saw the work on it. Not pretty.

I have read that the axle should be filled to 1" or so below the hole opening. BUT, the capacity is listed for the d70 as 3.5qts. 3.5qts takes you up to the bottom of the hole. So I just go to the bottom of the hole.

If your seal is leaking, check your vent tube. My D70 had it replaced by a bolt, and it blew seals like crazy.

Daniel

wannadiesel

The D70 should only be filled to 1/2" to 3/8" below the bottom of the hole - per the '93 (and '91) FSM. Overfilling often leads to oily brakes.

You're gonna have to pull the drum off and clean everything up, so you may as well throw new seals at it. Make sure that the new seals won't be riding in a groove - there's a link in the sticky about setting the seal in a little deep to avoid a groove.

Machinos

My 350 is missing one of those rear end hub bolts on each side (I think they must have snapped off). One of them looks like it was plugged up with caulk and seems fine, the other looks like it leaked a decent amount or is still leaking very slowly. Fluid level seems about ok, but is it acceptable to just try and caulk up that other one or do I need to get it fixed?

BearKiller

Are you meaning an axle-flange bolt, or the bolts that hold the spindle on the tube??

If it is snapping axle-flange bolts, that is a sure sign of a bad >>REAL BAD<< inside wheel-bearing/race.

A going bad inside bearing will cause the axle-flange gasket to leak.

OR, someone could have simply snapped them using an impact-wrench on them.

Machinos

Axle-flange bolts, I think? Here's a pic I found of what it looks like:

http://mebonty.monobasin.net/myvehicles/P3150371.JPG

The bolts in question are the ones to the very left-most of the image. I'm pretty sure someone just broke them with a tool, I think I can see the base of the one that's leaking still down in the hole.

Chrisreyn

Nope, actually I got that from a tech at a axle shop I called..
My own opinion after reading all the threads that come up if you search "Dana 70 fluid levels" and what I could find on the internet is that anywheres frfom 1/2 inch below the hole to even with the hole is OK...

BearKiller

Yes. Those are axle-flange bolts.

There is no way, short of a big crack in the hub, for grease to get to the bolt holes.

What is happening is that, without the bolt exerting pressure at that point, fluid is capable of seeping out.

Also, as I previously stated, I figure something else is going on with the wheel-bearings, causing the flange to leak.

Left alone long enough, it will eat up a ring-gear-carrier bearing, due to the loose wheel bearing causing the axle to flop around, thus putting stress on the carrier, which the axle splines into.