The Lair

February: Coronavirus
March: Earthquake
April: Nor'easter? Aliens? Cthulhu?

 

May:...........................

 

I thought it would be a quick job to replace the seal, but then I snapped a stud because I forgot right from left. In doing my research, I learned that gear oil is a death sentence for bearings since it washes away the grease. Few hundred bucks later and I have a bunch of oem parts on order to get it squared away.

 

Hey, I have monies now. When can I get my Lair patch?

 

We put the whole thing on hold since there are so many people who have lost their jobs. I don’t want to leave anyone behind

 

Ah. Gotchya.

 

Not really able to like this but since I like everything I couldn't resist.

So how did this all begin? What stud did you snap? Inquiring minds want to know.

Good morning by the way.

 

It all began because I could see oil seeping out of the back of the drum. That’s why tore into it

You’ll see in the last pic the snapped stud. There’s 4 that hold the axle into the axle housing.

 

FIFY

 

Ahhhh, thanks for taking the time to explain it to me. So, all that sludge inside the drum is a mixture of axle fluid and bearing grease? That obviously didn't happen overnight? It obviously affects the ability of the brake pads too correct?

I guess I'm just so very confused because I've never heard of this before.

I'm particularly interested not only because of the lesson it teaches but because today I finally got around to doing the rear axle breather relocate mod. No big deal there but does it sound normal if I say either air rushed in, or is rushed out, when I removed the OEM breather. On top of that, I could smell the fluid. I can't remember if any of this was the case when I did the same mod to the Sport.

So, now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to replace the fluid in that or both axles. I have the fluid, and I even have the new drain plug bolts that are the better, real bolt head plugs, not the recessed hex type that tend to strip. I even have all the replacement washers, fill and drain.

I think though, hydraulic fluid naturally has a bit of an odd smell after it's been heated up?

Oh, I should point out the truck had been sitting and I only ran down to get the mail and back, then it sat for about an hour before I did the mod.

 

No need to worry about a little air movement or the smell of gear oil. Very common!

The sludge is a mixture of dirt, brake dust and gear oil. Once the oil gets in there, it soaks into the brake shoes rendering them useless (I’m replacing them). I had noticed the the leak was there before my trip to TN a few weeks ago but I put it off until after the trip.

 

Yea, I'm not sure why a valve designed to regulate pressure wouldn't do so unless it is failing. I definitely didn't see any evidence of anything out of the ordinary while I was under there. It just struck me as strange.

I actually take opportunities like that to visually inspect as much as I can.

Another thing I noticed in comparison to your axle is how low my shock mounts are. My U bolts and plates are higher.

And yea, if you're wondering, I am skirting the real elephant in the room. You're intelligent enough to know what I mean

 

My shock mounts have been cut off and new ones welded on which is why they’re tucked up a bit. And I’m a few rum and Dr Pepper deep so my IQ has dropped a bit. No idea what you’re talking about

 

He is talking about the elephant....... In the room.

 

When you put it that way

 

Carole Baskin killed her husband & fed him to the tigers.

 

Youre god damn right she did.

 

One of these days I'm going to have to try this. What type of rum is best? I have Kraken black rum. I think the black rums are sweeter and smoother. Black rums matter.

Hell, I didn't even get it till he put it that way.

Note to self. Cancel tiger order.

Maybe it was suicide?

 

Suicide huh? Did he also feed his chopped up, meat ground body to the tigers?

 

I think he made a ground meat blanket to wear and then started poking them with a stick.