Thread: Oil not reaching wheel bearings?

did you fill it to the proper level plug or to the bottom of the fill plug?

I used the level plug to fill it, so it's to the bottom of the level plug. If it was overfilled, wouldn't the oil get to the bearings anyway, with anything left over equalizing through the diff housing?

Originally Posted by isuzutoo-eh

I used the level plug to fill it, so it's to the bottom of the level plug. If it was overfilled, wouldn't the oil get to the bearings anyway, with anything over equalizing through the diff housing?

it depends on what oil seals you put a hole in or left out. equalizing oil level from diff to cv will only happen if the inner axle seal is missing or you put a hole in it. for the wheel bearings to be oil feed you need to remove or put a hole in the seal that is in the back of the stub axle housing.

Is it definitely the bearings making the noise? If they are still full of grease I wouldn't have thought they would squeal regardless of whether or not the oil has got through to them.

Is there any chance the hub seal isn't seated deep enough and is hard against the stub axle face and making the noise?

Steve

Okay my memory of the rebuild a few weeks ago isn't too crash hot

Pretty sure I left out item number 5: intermediate seal, in the above image, as I had installed it to start with then removed it. Part number FRC3099?

Everything else is present.


Hope its okay to use this screenshot...Dave I can remove it if requested.

Did you have the steering on full lock when you filled them? Took me a while to work out that oil was going in through the hole and coming back at me off the swivel.

On full lock the fill hole clears the swivel.

Originally Posted by steveG

Is it definitely the bearings making the noise? If they are still full of grease I wouldn't have thought they would squeal regardless of whether or not the oil has got through to them.

Is there any chance the hub seal isn't seated deep enough and is hard against the stub axle face and making the noise?

Steve

It isn't definately bearings, no. But I figured i'd check them and was alarmed at the lack of oil penetration. I only checked the one side.

The sound is a high pitched squeal like metal on metal, takes a km or two to start from cold, present from low speed to 60km/h+, engine drowns it out at higher speeds though. It doesn't change with engine rpm, rather wheel rpm.

Applying brakes does change the pitch of the sound, and one set of pads has been contaminated before but was soaked in metho for a few days to leach the steering fluid out..

My current thoughts are it is the Rovertracks axles that are so tight through the swivel flanges they are almost a tolerance fit squealing.

I am more concerned about having my bearings go if the grease doesn't do its job and oil doesn't get through. All the bearings in the hubs and diff are brand new so I am a tad concerned for their welfare.
All driveshaft components are well lubricated...

Originally Posted by abaddonxi

Did you have the steering on full lock when you filled them? Took me a while to work out that oil was going in through the hole and coming back at me off the swivel.

On full lock the fill hole clears the swivel.

I had the wheels pointing straight ahead, but I could see the edge of the chrome and I didn't think it was blocking the hole completely. I'll try again in the morning on that point though