I looked under my truck the other day and noticed that this hose was disconnected. I reconnected it and the next time I looked it had fallen off again. What is it for?

 

It goes on the 'T' where the brake lines connect on the top where it looks a little shiny...it's your breather line for the axle assy. it keeps water and dirt from entering the axle. Just reconnect it and put on a small clamp on it. The other end goes up into the frame with a breather cap on it....make sure the breather isn't plugged and blowing the line off from the pressure generated by the axle.

 

Yeah, I know where it goes back on. Thanks for the info tho so it releases pressure generated from my axle? and if it was clogged, where would I relieve it and what could that do (damage wise)?

 

The breather will release the pressure, possibly, if the hose hadn't come off you could blow lube out of the seals

 

if the hose HADNT come off? or if I hadnt put it back on? didnt u say the hose was a pressure release

 

maybe its plugged up and it popped off check to see if its free then stick it back onto the nipple

 

I noticed that the hose had been repositioned by a ziptie to where it barely reaches the nipple. I think that the mechanic who installed my exhaust moved it so it would not melt on the exhaust pipe. I readjusted it so that it would easily reach while staying away from my exhaust

 

Might want to check your differential fluid, if it's been off a while or you've been in high water.

 

how do i check that?

 

You could remove the fill plug and stick something as far as you can into it to at a downward angle and see the consistency of the fluid. If it looks sort of milky, you probably have water.

 

I took a clothes hanger and stuck it down the nipple to check the fluid and im pretty sure it wasnt milky or white, just dirty. and it had kind of a burnt rubber/sulfur smell to it. is this normal? also, when sticking something down the nipple should i find a lot of fluid? because I could barely get any from the nipple.

 

I know, allot of help that was

 

That hose is a breather hose. It allows air in and out of the differential to keep the pressure inside stable. If it was pulled off then it is too short. Because it was repositioned by your muffler guy it might be getting pulled off when the rear axle droops. You can check this by lifting the rear of your truck and letting the axle droop.