As you all know I just had the front D44 axle apart to redo the seals and today I noticed BOTH sides leaking and it seemed oil was forcing itself out around the threads of the fill plug even.

Well, it turns out the axle vent fitting which was in the axle was totally and completely plugged. I had to DRILL it out, lol. I opened it up from the tapered hole to a straight 1/8" hole end to end. That will allow it to "breath" easier to the extended vent tube that runs up into the engine compartment.

So, if you're SAS'ing your truck with a used donor axle, don't fail to pay attention to that little vent fitting like I did. Otherwise you'll be wondering why your seals are leaking also, lol.

 

What about the rear axles on regular trucks?

 

It's possible, but most of the SAS donor axles have been sitting around for awhile and had a chance for the tube to get a bunch of crap in it -- and sometimes those axles are just older. My rear axle is from a 2002 FX4, but my front from a 1979 F-150, lol.

The Dana vents are different than the barbed fittings on Ranger rears. In the case of mine, they have a tapered hole that it quite small at the outside.

But if you think you could have gotten crap in your rear vents, checking them wouldn't hurt.

 

that reminds me, i need to put my vent tube on.

 

you know whats kinda funny, the steel part of the vent on my old 7.5 was clogged full of crap.

i told the guy about it but who knows.

 

thanks,i thought something was funny about my 44 axle also

 

Thanks John. I'll have to remember that if I ever get around to build mine.

 

just put a small pin through. should unclog it.
john where did u get ur vent hose from? make it or buy one? or did it already have one on it when you got the axle?

 

Hmmmm.. I'll def have to look into this. My LR axle seal is leaking and my LF axle seal is leaking too. I've got new seals but need to put them in. Ho hard was it to replace the front axle seals?

Brenton

 

its simple, pull the cover, take the c-clips out then pull the axle shaft out.

the front is a little harder, im not sure where the seals are on the d44, but on my d30 they are on the inside.

i would do both sides at the same time, it would be stupid not to.

 

On the Front D44 IIRC you have to pull the carrier to get at the seals.

 

on the d44 pull the carrier and there right inside the tube there.
you can take a long doll-rod or something from the outter tube and just knock them out with a hammer. putting them in straight is ****ty. you can take a big socket that fits the lip of the seal and a bunch of extensions all the way out the axle tube and tap it with a hammer. keep checkin to make sure its going in centered

 

thats how my D30 was.

 

3/8" ID "air hose" (like for power air tools) bought at Lowes for 0.39 a foot. And some little stainless hose clamps. Easy.

My rear is 1/4" ID line because that's the barb that was on the fitting. T-case is 3/8" and tranny is 1/4" after the adaptor hose to fit over the vent piece on top of a 4x2 transmission (which is not made to accept a hose normally).

 

I need to completely move my vent tube on the D44.

Does anyone know where you can get the axle vent barbs?

 

Just about any good hardware store. Drill and tap the holes for 1/8" or 1/4" NPT fittings regardless of barb size. The NPT thread to pipe barb fittings are a standard item for pneumatic work.

 

yeah i could. i already put the carriers in and fluid. hate to have to disassemble, looks like i have no choice!

 

ok cool. so its 3/8 on the d44. well ill just measure it and go to lowes

 

My "fitting" fit 3/8" hose, but it dosen't look like a standard "barb" fitting. I don't know what came on your axle, they may vary from year to year even.

 

my front vent hose is next to the fuse box, and the rear one is hangin out behind the tail light


i jsut need to make sure i do that stuff when i sas it