Oil levels - front diff/axle/CVs/bearings - '02 110 Defender

**TeamFA** · 17th April 2014, 11:07 AM

G'day all!

I've successfully (I think) replaced the front brake rotors on the Defender, due to a little metal-on-metal action.

Undoing the top swivel pins on each side caused the swivel housings to dump their oil contents (onto the unprepared driveway, of course), so replacing that fluid, as well as finding out more information about the way the front assemply works with regard to oil, was in order.

I drained the oil from both swivel housings and the diff.

After reassembly of most of the components, I filled one swivel housing with oil. With the diff drain plug out, the swivel housing oil fell, and clean oil started flowing out of the diff housing, so I deduced the oil seal between them had been removed.

I then replaced the diff drain plug. After a couple of minutes, I also had clean oil dripping out past the wheel bearings, so I figured that the oil seal between the swivel and bearings had also been removed.

I then waited for that oil to stop flowing, then fitted both end caps.

Next step was to put oil into the other swivel housing, until oil came out of the diff fill plug hole. I waited until this had stopped, then replaced the plug into the diff.

Does this sound like I've put enough oil into the whole assembly?

The oil level should now be appropriate for the diff (and axle?), but I'm not sure how this goes with the swivel housings and bearings. Obviously, the oil will level out over all of the areas.

Should I add any extra oil? What level have others filled the oil to for this kind of setup?

Thanks!
Michael.

**jboot51** · 17th April 2014, 03:53 PM

I fill mine by removing the breather on the housing..
I fill until there is about 5-10 mm in the axle tube, measured by a plastic drinking straw through the breather hole.
This will overfill the diff, but mine seems to be doing fine.

**TeamFA** · 22nd April 2014, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by jboot51

I fill mine by removing the breather on the housing..
I fill until there is about 5-10 mm in the axle tube, measured by a plastic drinking straw through the breather hole.
This will overfill the diff, but mine seems to be doing fine.

Thanks jboot,

When measuring with the straw, I assume the straw touches the axle inside the axle tube, so that would mean 5-10mm of oil over the top of the axle?

Your setup is the same as mine, with oil running right through?

I've been given dire warnings by a mate about overfilling the diff, he mentioned blowing seals. But he wasn't familiar with this setup - and wouldn't the seals he mentioned worrying about be the ones that have been removed?

Any buildup of pressure should be able to be distributed fairly easily along the length of the axle/swivels, and through the breather hole?

Thanks!
Michael.

**jboot51** · 22nd April 2014, 07:42 AM

With the straw , I make it bend around the axle and hit the bottom of the axle tube.
So 5/10mm covering the bottom of the axle tube.

Mine is oil from hub to hub, one compartment all the way through.
You'll need to make sure the breather tube is clear. The fitting on my diff housing was rusted up, so I replaced it with a push fit air line fitting.

With the breather tube clear there will be no pressure, therefore the seals wont blow.

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