I noticed today that I had a fluid leak from the passenger side of the axle housing. It looked like it was coming from the caliper, so I assumed it was brake fluid. As soon as I got closer, however, I got the telltale wiff of GL-5. I rebuilt my diff on my own a few months back so I kind of assume it has something to do with the fact that it was my first time doing it.

Now for my next question. I'm assuming (I'm doing a lot of assuming here) that the rearend is gonna have to be pulled apart again to fix this. I want to regear my truck and I do not want to pull apart the diff unless I'm going to regear it. Problem is, I will not have the money for new gearsets for probably a month. As long as I keep the fluid level up, is it okay to continue driving like this?

Number 3. I know that I have to regear both differentials. But do they have to be done at the same time? Could I just do the rear for now and just not engage my 4wd until I do the front? I'm still a little confused about how the 4wd engages with IFS as compared to a solid axle.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

There's no difference in the way the 4WD works.

Yes, you can drive on different ratios, and you can still use 4WD if you get stuck, but not for driving on ice, snow, or wet roads. ONLY if the rear wheels are stuck, and ONLY enough to get out. If they have no traction, it doesn't matter that the ratios are different, just like driving in 2WD.

You don't have to do much "pulling apart" to change a wheel seal, but you do have take the back cover off. Click my sig link & look in the 8.8" Axle album. I wouldn't drive on it like that - you're oiling your brakes down.

 

yes the diff cover will come off only to gain acess to a axle retain pin and that will allow you to slide out that side of the axle out compleatly and from there u replace the seal and back together u go about $50 in parts a new seal and new gasket for diffcover plus rtv sealent

 

wouldnt drive around like that. all that gear oil everywhere is making your back brakes useless.do both the seals while your at it.one less thing to worry about later.

 

I knew that I wouldn't have to pull the entire rearend apart, but I just hate pulling that cover off. I am *extremely* broke right now so I figured that if I could get away with it for a month until I have the money to regear then I would. Everybody I have spoken to says the same thing about the brakes, however their opinions about whether I should continue driving it differ. I haven't noticed any difference in the brake's effectiveness although I can hear a little noise coming from that corner. I'm only driving to work and back until I get it fixed so I think I'll go a couple of days and see how I feel then. If it seems too dangerous to keep driving I'll bite the bullet and fix it. Another option is to just regear the back and have that seal replaced until I can afford to have the front regeared. Thanks for your help and if you have any other thoughts please let me know.

 

why do you have to regear anything?? the seals just wear out over time and there like 15$ each and you will have to put new rear shoes on. diff cover gasket or high temp rtv. whole job should run you about 75 bucks.

 

I guess I was a little unclear about this. I'm running 3.55 gears with 33s and a 4.6L. My truck is not happy right now. I plan on getting 35s whenever I need tires again so I'm gonna go ahead and regear now.

 

o ok u planning in 35s? thats a big *** tire lol. now i see where you are coming from.