Thread: Swivel Pin housing oil level check, "How To"

Top effort but a little skewed.

the filler plug is the one right at the top.
the level plug is the one just up from the halfway point and the drain plug is the hex one at the bottom.

to check.

open the level plug and if you have oil on the threads OR oil seeps out then your oil level is correct.

to drain.

remove the fill plug and then the drain plug

to fill.
on firm level ground with the vehicle chocked or supported level on 4 jack stands turn the steering to lock on the side that you are about to fill
remove the fill plug (which should already be out)
remove the level plug
fill with 80/90wt gear oil (or as per your local requirements as derived from your users manuals/servicebooks) untill oil first apears at the level plug.
replace the level plug after coating the threads in a non hardening thread sealant
replace the fill plug after coating the threads in a non hardening thread sealant.

Alternatively you can take the easy way out IF your running greased bearings (do this with oil filled bearings and your toast)

follow the steps as prior upto and including "remove the fill plug"
after that you
cut the top off of the oneshot grease tube and squeeze contents into the filler hole
coat the threads in a thread sealant
replace filler plug
paint both the filler and drain plugs (if drain plugs are fitted) in yellow paint and affix the supplied "one shot grease" sticker to the top corner of the corrosponding side of the windshield.


its not usually a problem overfilling the hubs (some hubs do not have a level check bolt so you fill them to the bottom of the threads on the filler hole) as the oil will migrate past either the axle seal into the diff raising the level of the diff or past the bearing seal into and finally out of your hub seals. However about 1 time in enough to make it worth mentioning the oil will work past the swivel seal and allow crap to pick up onto the chrome and kill the seal.

Thanks for correction , my mistake on the Pic , I have now corrected this on Microsoft publisher and re-uploaded it here again , I think the Top effort was on your part , thanks again.

Good clear tutorial thanks
That level check plug can be a bit tricky to get out because of the big bolt behind it ( what's that bolt for anyway ? ) - I found an 11mm open ended spanner works best.

Now I've asked this before but I'm still a little confused.

My Disco had the stickers saying the one shot grease was installed.
However I the guy that previously serviced my car has put oil back in them. ( why i don't know )
There's now oil leaking past one of the swivel hub seals.
Can I just drain the oil and put a one shot grease back in there ?
Or should I just keep topping up the oil until I can get around to doing the seal ?
I keep checking the level by poking a bit of wire into the filler plug hole every couple of weeks, but it doesn't seem to drop much. I gues it's becoz the weep is only slight at this stage.

the big bolt is the steering stop bolt. if you take it out(or shorten it) you get a better turning circle but is has some potenial risks so I advise against doing it un less your willing to take the chances.

you can just put the one shot grease back in after draining out the oil without replacing the seal

I think the oil is better but it does tend to do the leaky thing and the miniscule difference in the protection offered by the grease as opposed to oil so far as the CV is concerned its often easier to use the grease. That however does not apply if you are running the wheel bearings in oil.

you can get a split seal to replace the existing one and theycan be fitted up in under 20mins per side in your driveway by anyone who can read and knows which end of a ringspanner to hold.

most times the back to oil conversion is done because the oil seal on the diff side has failed and the diff oil is diluting the hub grease or because they want to run oil fed bearings.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

you can get a split seal to replace the existing one and theycan be fitted up in under 20mins per side in your driveway by anyone who can read and knows which end of a ringspanner to hold.
.

Where can I get some info on those Dave ?
Sounds like the ducks nuts.

they aint, I only use em IF I have to fix one on the side of the road and just dont have the time/space to do it properly.

If you really want one MR automotive or four wheel drives down in melbourne should be able to supply it.

Is it me or has everyone missed the important step.
Between opening the filler cap and putting oil in.
Turn RH wheel onto right lock to uncover the CV chamber under the hole.
Ditto LH.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Is it me or has everyone missed the important step.
Between opening the filler cap and putting oil in.
Turn RH wheel onto right lock to uncover the CV chamber under the hole.
Ditto LH.
Regards Philip A

Urm

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

Top effort but a little skewed.

the filler plug is the one right at the top.
the level plug is the one just up from the halfway point and the drain plug is the hex one at the bottom.

to check.

open the level plug and if you have oil on the threads OR oil seeps out then your oil level is correct.

to drain.

remove the fill plug and then the drain plug

to fill.
on firm level ground with the vehicle chocked or supported level on 4 jack stands turn the steering to lock on the side that you are about to fill
remove the fill plug (which should already be out)
remove the level plug
fill with 80/90wt gear oil (or as per your local requirements as derived from your users manuals/servicebooks) untill oil first apears at the level plug.
replace the level plug after coating the threads in a non hardening thread sealant
replace the fill plug after coating the threads in a non hardening thread sealant.

Alternatively you can take the easy way out IF your running greased bearings (do this with oil filled bearings and your toast)

did you mean that bit?

You should do it before you open the filler plug because If like mine your underbody isnt exactly surgicaly sterile type clean you might drop something in there when you turn it to lock.