Hi all

Just thought I would relate something that has happened to me that has cost me a pile of money (about $575 Canadian) that could have been so easily prevented so as to hopefully save someone else from what has happened to me.

I have a 99 Ram 4x4 2500 series and noticed that the brakes were starting to grab. I had about 160,000 km on the truck and had put new pads on the front recently and thought that the shoes were probably in need of replacement as well. I took the truck into a local repair shop and upon picking the truck up it was stated that the shoe linings were contaminated with oil (and after looking at the shoes this indeed was the case) and also that one wheel cylinder was shot. So they took it upon themselves to change out both the wheel seals and the axle shaft to hub seals and well as doing the brakes. About a week later it clicked that what if the axle housing vent was plugged? This I figured would maybe cause gear oil to be pushed out the seals. Yesterday I had a look and sure enough the vent was plugged right at the axle tube!! Needless to say I am a little perturbed that the technician failed to pick up on this ( I may already have some contamination on the new shoe linings). Anyways checking these vents will be done on a regular basis from now on!

I have a question that I would like to throw out to any techs that might be reading this post:

Would the original seals that were passing gear oil have been ruined by the plugged vent or would they have stopped leaking once the vent was freed up?


Thanks for your time
John

 

Probly they would have stopped leaking, but if I was doing the job it would have got new ones.

 

I would have changed the seals also and I admit I most likely would not have looked at the vent. With that mileage they could have failed at any time.

 

Hmmmm I just got done replacing the wheel seal on the right rear wheel.

 

if a seal leaks .Replace it ... cause you know ...'IT'S GOING TO BLOW OUT WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST'

I have never had one (on a BIG truck) "stop" leaking once it starts...just keeps weeping

 

When any type of seal has been de-virginised (sp) with oil it never will go back to normal. If you get my drift.

 

Care to share that concept?

 

Some time 85-140W on the front diff handles that leak issue since 4 wheel is rarely used!

 

1999- 2wheel- 80,000 miles
where is this vent?

 

Black 3/8 hose comes off the top of the diff and connects to the frame rail on the driver side by the shock with a mettal clip. It will have a little plastic cap on it, the end should be able to spin freely.

 

I've seen countless vehs STOP leaking after the vent plug has been unplugged, as a mechanic that is the FIRST thing you check BEFORE you replace parts! especially if the diff is leaking at more than one spot, ie pinion and axel, thats a dead give away the vent is plugged, its highly unlikely under normal conditions 2 or more seals will start leaking at the exact same time. If you are just replacing parts and gouging the customer, you will soon lose a customer, but if you clean the vent, send him on his way with an explanation (or a choice to replace the seals) as a customer he will be happy that you were honest, and he/she will likely come back and reccommend your shop to their friends
This is my experience after 20yrs of working on fleet vehs (Canadian Military) these vehs see more off road than on, and an unplugged vent goes a long way.

 

Thanks for the reply NickG

I'm the originator of this thread and have a few more questions for you if I may. A few more observations on this truck. To me it doesn't look like the Differential cover has been pulled (I'll know more soon as I plan to pull the cover and change the oil) and you would need to pull it in order to change the seals mentioned in the original post would you not? The axles have to come out to change the seals and the axles are secured to the carrier with clips or such. Right? Also checked the oil level with my finger and it was probably about 3/4" low and looked like crap. So if you had to pull the cover anyway and the oil looked that edited by admin would you put that crap back in it? It's appearing more and more to me that they didn't change the seals out at all and charged me a hefty amount for doing it. I also specificaly asked them to save the old parts as I wanted to have a look but they conveniently could not find the old seals.

Thanks again

John

 

If you have a full floating axle then the axles can be pulled out without having to take the diff cover off. The 3500 trucks have the full floaters, not sure which one a 2500 would have. Full floaters stick out beyond the wheel and have a ring of bolts holding the axle shaft in.

 

In my previous post I should have said " the axle shafts can be pulled out without having to take the diff cover off."

 

I will add, anytime I have a truck with a leaking axle shaft seal the first thing I check is the vent. Your mechanic was incompetent.