What happened??

[bmrrwolfe]

Alright so i was driving down to a vet to get my dog checked out when on the way home i noticed a slight noise that sounded to come from the front of the Jeep. It sounded like brakes rubbing slightly a bit of metal on metal, and next to a cement barrier the noise got decently loud and after the highway i heard them some more but even as i was braking slightly it was still there...
It only seems to make the noise at about 20 MPH + and its not very loud at all but does get a bit louder with higher speed, on a normal 35 or 45 street it can only be heard with no music and windows open.

When i got home i jacked up the front and started looking underneath the Jeep and noticed a leak coming from the front diff where the drive shaft inputs...
What is going on? Could it be leaking just from jacking the front up pretty high, which i doubt...
Are the noise and leak even related??
The drive shaft does not have any excessive play in it so i really hope thats not the issue...

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[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Pinion bearing's toast because a pinion seal was left unchecked.

 

[ptsb5a]

Maybe the pinion seal is toast, letting gear oil out, low oil may cause gears to whine alot because they miss the lubrication they deserve.

 

[ptsb5a]

Damn TBJ, why can't I be first for once.....

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

'cuz ThunderbirdJunkie has nothing better to do

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Pinion bearing's toast because a pinion seal was left unchecked.

Great....
So now what do I gotta do to fix it, just replace the seal?
If so how do I go about that?
Thanks!
I know there isn't a picture but maybe someone can tell if this is the pinion seal for the front D30 that i need?
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...ional_20441821-P_382_R|GRP60017_1200725566___

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Well the good new is the fluid level is still right below the fill plug that i can touch the fluid with a finger, as i knew this was a brand new leak that was not there when i was underneath it last week.
But the fluid looks pretty dirty...
So first off i am off to get some 75w140 syn fluid to drain and fill the front diff....

 

[LibertyTC]

Synthetic may not be the best idea when it flows better and there is a leak.
Just use GL5 -75-140.
Actually unless you are going to add some saw dust thickener (LOL) it is only going to leak more, once the seal really cracks.\, why bother time 4 a new pinion seal.
That sounds like fun....

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Great....
So now what do I gotta do to fix it, just replace the seal?
If so how do I go about that?
Thanks!
I know there isn't a picture but maybe someone can tell if this is the pinion seal for the front D30 that i need?
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...ional_20441821-P_382_R|GRP60017_1200725566___

Did you not see the part where it said the pinion bearing is likely toast?
Seals don't fix bearings dude. This is going to be a big job, involving an R&R of the front diff.

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Synthetic may not be the best idea when it flows better and there is a leak.
Just use GL5 -75-140.
Actually unless you are going to add some saw dust thickener (LOL) it is only going to leak more, once the seal really cracks.\, why bother time 4 a new pinion seal.
That sounds like fun....

Good call on the syn so not syn 75w140 I need to atleast get it to drive me a few miles to and dro work while I get a new seal and an idea of how to install it!
Any write up on how to replace it?

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Did you not see the part where it said the pinion bearing is likely toast?
Seals don't fix bearings dude. This is going to be a big job, involving an R&R of the front diff.

Granted you know a whole lot more then I do I am going to try to replace just the seal and hope I can keep driving while possibly fixing it and if now I will wait til summer where I may have some extra cash.

 

[ShafferNY]

Personally, I'd try replacing the pinion seal and then see what happens. It is possible that the seal is simply leaking, especially if it's a "new leak" as you say. After all, a new pinion seal is probably under $10, and there's no point in tearing the whole damn thing apart if it's just the seal.

If you put a new pinion seal in there and that one starts leaking, then I'd say plan on replacing the pinion bearing too. And if you're going to go that far, I'd freshen up the whole front diff.

Just my two cents.

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Personally, I'd try replacing the pinion seal and then see what happens. It is possible that the seal is simply leaking, especially if it's a "new leak" as you say. After all, a new pinion seal is probably under $10, and there's no point in tearing the whole damn thing apart if it's just the seal.

If you put a new pinion seal in there and that one starts leaking, then I'd say plan on replacing the pinion bearing too. And if you're going to go that far, I'd freshen up the whole front diff.

Just my two cents.

Thats what I'm going to try to do...
Hopefully that will solve it, but for now just a drain and fill of the front diff, and i will see if there is any puddles under the jeep in the morning to see if its safe to drive to work (only about 3 miles away)
Autozone is on backorder for the front diff pinion seal said it will probably be atleast a week maybe two..
I will check Napa in the morning.

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Well i just took it on a 10 minute drive, the noise is still there, but not a drop came out.
Oh and i went with 80w90 for the front since wally world did not have any 75w140 and autozone only had mobil1 syn with was $18 a quart....
I know the 06 manual says 80w90 for the front anyways, so i should be alright.
Also i did some braking tests and noticed the noise changed as i hit the brakes under moderate pressure, possibly a brake caliper sticking??
Not going to rule out the pinion bearing, but i want to think of everything, preferable stuff i can check out.

TBJ is this the pinion bearing that could be the culprit?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...4ffa03388&rvr_id=&ua=WXF?&itemid=160374357541

 

[f1paul]

i dont know, is it just me or does it look like his yoke is not all the way in the front diff housing.
i just had to pull my DS recently while waiting for jeep to get my warranteed DS in stock and i dont remember that looking the same.

 

[bmrrwolfe]

So after driving it to work number one and back still no leaking from the front, and i forgot to add you can only hear the noise when driving next to a cement divider or decent sized curb then its only heard from which ever side the curb is on, obviously due to the sound waves bouncing off and back.
But i was playing around again and i think it could my rear brakes doing some slight rubbing/dragging. I know they need replaced and badly, and i have rotors and pads to be put on tonight after work number two and tomorrow if needed to finish up so hopefully that will solve the noise issue then i will need to figure out if that seal is actually bad, and then also do the rear diff fluid and plugs!

 

[bmrrwolfe]

Mine makes the same kinda grinding-ish noise. I believe its from my brakes slightly rubbing. I too only hear it when driving by barriers or fences etc. It goes away when I get on the brakes though. So I came to the conclusion it was the brakes.

Grindish noise, thats a good discription to what mine sounds like
Well if it just the rear brakes then i will have money for the KJ to get the spark plugs and rear diff done next weekend!

 

[bmrrwolfe]

You still might want to replace that seal. If it was leaking it probably means it will start leaking again under the right circumstances. Probably when its real cold and the seal shrinks a wee bit and opens up a little hole.

Oh yeah it will be getting replaced. I get paid thursday so hopefully napa or autozone will have one by then and I will try to install it sunday.
Any ideas on what it takes to replace?

 

[Midgear]

my brakes do the same thing, but they got alot of meat on em yet.. soon as I touch the brake pedal the sound stops.. so fuggit lol, not gonna worry about it.

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

bmrr, it's not JUST the pinion seal. With as bad as it's leaking, dirt has, without a doubt, contaminated that bearing and it's toast.

Not sure if you'll need a new crush sleeve (or if the D30 HAS a crush sleeve) but that bearing needs to be replaced.