Crazy Leak from the Rear end overnight

Wonder what the housing costs since warranty is out the window...

 

if the installer of the traction bar decided on his own to weld the bracket to the diff housing, when the manufactorers installation instructions didn't include welding the bracket on, id say the installer had some liability in this catastrophy, forget the Toyota warranty its been voided when the install was done

 

It worked really well too, even with gas pouring out. Posted another one- but we dont get the type of weather needed for tootsie roll repairs to work.

 

Im not sure you could even tack weld a repair to the crack/hole since its covered with diff oil and may reopen when the rear flexs during normal operation

 

How much does a dif housing flex?

 

alot

 

There’s quite a bit of stress on the welds for that trac bar during wot. If it’s indeed cracked now it’s just a matter of time until it gets worse.

But after reading everything I don’t think the axle housings cracked I think op would know for damn sure if it was gear oil, there’s just no mistaking that smell.

 

The gear oil in my diff barely smells. Old used gear oil will have different smells. Some just smell like sulphur and others smell like sulphur and rot. The op should be able to tell the difference between gear oil and brake fluid, considering it looked like there was an active drip coming off the plug, get it on a clean paper towel and see. It is possible one of those brackets chafed a brake line, in one of those pics it looks like they’re right on top of each other.

As others have said, clean it and look again. Whatever is leaking will weep and show, you can narrow down and isolate to the exact area. If it’s a weld, it looks like it can be repaired.

 

Just suprised as you’d think it would be subject to metal fatigue and failure after 250,000 miles.

 

definitely gear oil, i put down a metal bowl last night and got a sample. truck's on the rack now getting cleaned up for diagnosis. there was no water at all. at least i got it here w/o dramas. having my independent folk check it out before/if seeing the dealer. calling the installer today to loop him in.

 

it certainly looks to be in the tack weld bracket area

 

Maybe messed something up on the install,you can clearly see the leak is coming from where your track mount was put on.

 

Broken weld with a hole in your frame,make the installer pay for a new axle housing and install.

 

Any updates?

 

yeah, i had it diagnosed this morning and then hauled it over to Ft. Worth to the install shop. the bracket design on this thing has been awful from the outset, and it's just failed at the upper portion talking some of the weld at the top with it. the bar has two connecting rods at the axle. when force hits the top bar and pushes back on the bracket there's just not enough welded real estate to deal. to be clear, the bar itself is good and solid and has given me what i want out of it. but the bracket is and has always been a dog and that's the problem. their instructions were insufficient and never should have been used. a new bracket design with improved mounting was necessary from the beginning.

they will have it apart by Wednesday and we'll have more clarity on what can be done. but the plan is shooting for fabbing up a real deal gusseted bracket that will allow the bar to do it's thing with no compromise. but if we just need to remove it and patch the weld then that's fine as well. looks like i may have gotten out alive (no axle housing replacement). thanks for asking.

 

Why do you need this on the axle?

 

it's not a need, it's a preference. but the answer is traction for wheel hop & axle wrap.

 

Wrap it with a #2 soup can with worm clamps on each etc. Encircle the hole with oil pan RTV before putting in place.

Hey, it's a WWII grade field repair, like those we were reading earlier. But with better product.


Seriously, I hope they can get the repair done correctly and with durability for a minimum of fuss.

 

Hope everything works out ok.

 

If they welded it once and it failed, they should get another person in there to weld it this time, maybe? They burnt a hole in your axle housing, yet still put a shitty weld on there that broke. I would be PISSED OFF.