Rear diff vent - just found out

....the hard way. My rear differential vent is plugged solid. Found out when I drove 15 miles and had fluid dripping out of the left rear drum.
My question - after reading horror stories, is it likely the wheel bearing is damaged from the fluid pushing through it, and/or, is my seal also ruined?
Didn't leak a drop until today. I'm replacing my rear brake shoes this weekend anyway, but didn't expect this.
Thanks for any advice.

 

Mine blew a seal at 74k
I replaced the seal. Sprayed the shoes down with brake clean and slapped it back together.

I am at 157k now. Still on the same bearing and shoes.

This isn’t normal though. Typically the bearing fails not long after. I got lucky I guess?

 

Fix the breather, replace the seal, clean your bearings.

You might be fine, you might not be.

 

Thanks all for the replies.
Is it possible my seal is ok, and the plugged vent is the only problem?

 

There is only one way to find out.
Clear or replace the vent and see if the leak stops.

I’d also check your fluid level and top it off.

 

That reminds me, my driver side shoes and drum were a little moist when i did my recent suspension swap. I’ll have to check the breather. Seems like as much as i want to drive this truck, i can’t stop building/working on it.

 

...thanks!

 

An idea.....
Since I did not drive very far with the leaking seal, I don't see why I can't regrease the (sealed) bearing. I have done that with similar bearings before and it works fine. Wonder if anyone else has tried that on a (still good) 2nd gen rear bearing?

 

I never heard of it.

I didn’t look close at mine when I did the seal. I was more less in “get it done” mode. I didn’t even drain the differential.
I just jacked the side up I was workin on higher that the other, that way diff fluid didn’t come out when I pulled the axle.

 

I may do just as you say, I spend most of my life in 'get it done' mode.

 

Update - only had time to top off the differential with some 75w90 and clean up the inside of the wheel. Drove for several miles, and all I found was a slight spatter, one or two drips of fluid. May be residual from inside the drum when I applied the brakes, not sure.
So I wiped it dry again and will drive it later today. Maybe the seal survived? Will see and will post back.
If all seems well, I'll pull the brake drum tomorrow and clean it thoroughly.

 

Just thought of this also.....removing the abs sensor would make a great inspection hole to see if the seal is leaking.

 

I choose to not pull the ABS Sensor unless I’ll have too. If it’s stuck and you break it off in there. You got more problems. The axle has to come out then. Because you’ll have to drill it out.

 

Yeah, had this happen on a Mitsubishi. Tks for the reminder.

 

I actually had GREAT luck drilling a pilot hole, gently driving in a wood screw (coarsest, deepest threads I could find), and pulling. Granted, it busted off just below the threaded portion, so the only thing holding it in was the swollen sensor body against the hole.

 

That’s an option.

 

That gear oil will ooze out of the axle housing for awhile even if the seal is good so clean the tube to backing plate with brake clean and may have to do a few times.
If no active drips running down the backing plate you are probably OK. You can also check that the 4 bolts holding the axle in are tight as nuts show at backing plate and only a box or open end wrench will fit up there usually on the lower 2.

 

Thanks, yeah, I have driven the truck probably 25 miles since opening the clogged vent on Thursday and getting a tiny bit of oil drip on the inside of the wheel.
Going to clean it up well and see if the drip stops. Thanks!

 

Look for the link on breathers - I extended mine and replaced it with a two way - my brother in-law didn't and his blew the seal and is leaking. I'm sure there are details in a Sticky Thread post - If I can find it I'll post it.

 

Thanks, that's a good idea. I've owned mostly Fords, and they all had a vent hose.
Update also - just cleaned the brakes and drum, drove several miles, and no visible leak. Going out to pull the drum and check at the axle. Maybe I got lucky and my seal is ok, not sure yet. But I did buy a seal and o-ring, just in case,