What is this hole on top of the driver side rear axle and what/why is it leaking? Smells like diff fluid, could possibly be brake fluid too though.
95 YJ Rear Axle Question
- Thread starter donabro128
- Start date
Something is weird. Your brake hose junction block should be bolted to the axle tube with a large hollow bolt that has a hose nipple on the top end. An axle breather hose should be connected to that. It looks like that is missing. Maybe someone nixxed that and then created this second hole. Something definitely ain’t right.
I’ve researched the hell outta this including reading the manual and can’t find out what that is. Something is funky. Here’s a pic of the diff, the pinion seal is leaking a bit. Problem for another day though
Stock Dana 35. Somebody definitely did something weird. How is your brake hose held down to the axle tube?
It should be using one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NMGKIY/?tag=yjforum-20
And then your axle breather hose should be connected to it and the hose and breather fitting should run up behind the left tail light.
I would work on trying to get that part back to stock, and then see what you can do to plug the goofy hole. Worst case, PO screwed up the threads or something where that fitting is supposed to go (under the brake hose), and then created this new welded doohickey. Either that or the welded up hole where you're leaking IS where the brake hose is supposed to go, and they now relocated it over and didn't bolt the hose down, and left the old hole not plugged. Either way, somebody did something and it sucks.
Pinion seal will be an easy fix when you decide to dig into it. Need an inch pound beam style torque wrench, a new crush sleeve, disassemble the diff to replace but otherwise it's just a matter of tightening to the right amount and then measuring with torque wrench to confirm.
New development. This thing is plastic! Just wiped it off. Took it to a mechanic this morning and he wasn’t sure where the leak was coming from either. He thought maybe the brake line but he cleaned it up and didn’t see anything. I’m gonna run it a few days and see if it happens again. He did say the brake line was supposed to be straight like you had said though.
I’m wanting to see how your axle is venting. The rubber brake hose coming from the frame should be bolted down with a hollow breather fitting. I don’t see that in your pics. If there is currently no vent, the problems will definitely return quick.
The plastic thing is definitely not right or stock.
Not sure what is meant by brake lines being straight, the hard lines from the hose junction to the wheel cylinders will not be straight because they have to route themselves around track bar bracket, leaf spring u-bolts, shock brackets, etc.
The plastic thing is definitely not right or stock.
Not sure what is meant by brake lines being straight, the hard lines from the hose junction to the wheel cylinders will not be straight because they have to route themselves around track bar bracket, leaf spring u-bolts, shock brackets, etc.
Another angle and cleaned up. Idk how the rear is supposed to vent, I’ve only seen a vent tube on the front diff.
This is a problem:
It’s supposed to be like this:
The breather goes down through a large hole in the brake hose junction to hold it to the axle tube so the brake lines are secure. The breather is hollow and then has a hose connected to the barb on top.
The picture you posted is definitely not how it should be, and I’m wondering why. Clearly the previous owner messed with it, but we don’t know why. You need to buy a factory style breather so that your axle can breathe again. After that, I’d say examine the plastic thing because the plastic thing is not factory nor is the hole it’s plugged into.
It’s supposed to be like this:
The breather goes down through a large hole in the brake hose junction to hold it to the axle tube so the brake lines are secure. The breather is hollow and then has a hose connected to the barb on top.
The picture you posted is definitely not how it should be, and I’m wondering why. Clearly the previous owner messed with it, but we don’t know why. You need to buy a factory style breather so that your axle can breathe again. After that, I’d say examine the plastic thing because the plastic thing is not factory nor is the hole it’s plugged into.