c5formula

iTrader: (55)

so i installed a Quick Performance fabbed 9" rearend into my Formula Firebird a lil while ago. well i noticed a couple days ago that diff fluid was leaking out of the axle tubes and getting all over my wheels and my brakes. it uses press on axle bearings on the axles and i put the required copper silicone around the outside of the bearing like the guys said and its still leaking past the bearing, not as much as before but still leaking.

anyone have any idea on how to fix this??

c5formula

iTrader: (55)

anyone??

99_Z_155

iTrader: (7)

there should also be axle seals inside of the bearings if im not mistaken. also, some of the bearings come with an additional o ring seal on them to prevent the leaking you are describing.

c5formula

iTrader: (55)

well i know the bearings are sealed bearsing that press onto the axles then slightly press into the axles tubes. it looks like the rearend fluid is leaking around the outside of the bearing were it slides into the axle tube...

So-GT0071

There are a couple things to consider here. My first question would be...Do you know if the housing has inner axle seals installed? Aside from having the sealed axle bearings, there is an inner axle seal that needs to be press fit into the axle tube its self further in from the housing end where the axle bearing will sit. So check and make sure you have those seals in your rear diff. If you do not have them, I'd recommend pulling out the bearings on both sides and putting in axle seals and new bearings on both sides with silicon on the outside of them. Just so you know, you can also buy sealed axle bearings that have rubber O-rings around the outside of them so they will seal better.

My other thought would be to check the vent in the housing. If the vent gets plugged up, then the housing will build up pressure and force fluid out of the bearings. On my 9 inch diff, the vent is actually extended using a rubber hose and then we put a more free flowing filter on it as well as to avoid any pressure problems in the housing. The extension of the housing vent is what actually solved my leaky axle bearings. As it turns out, if you have a short vent on the housing, when cruising down the highway or at speed, the wind blowing over it can actually create a vacuum and pull fluid out of the vent.

Hope this helps.

BlackDuk98

iTrader: (34)

Exactly what So-GT0071 said. You may need to get the tube seals and an o-ringed axle bearings. I haven't had any leakage yet. I put the o- ringed bearings in w/ rtv and the axle tube seals but ran into a problem. I have Moser bearings. The new ones I purchased have a taller bearing retainer that you have pressed on after the bearings. This caused a problem that I thought I fixed but didn't. Only lead me in the direction to finding this. When I turn slowly, I hear grinding, like running carboard over a bike tire, but not driving strait. I pulled the axles out, and saw that the axle tube seals were getting chewed up by the new design bearing retainer.

On my dads and bros 12 bolts, they have the same c-clip eliminator like the 9", except they never got axle tube seals from Moser. Nor did Moser reccomend putting them in. So, I pulled mine out completely since I don't want metal in the diff. Then just rtv'ed the o-ringed bearings, and put the axles in w/ no tube seal. I haven't had a leak yet. So if you do change bearings and add tube seals, watch out for this.

-On a side note, So-GT0071, I have to say, that is the nicest Sonoma GT I have ever seen. I never see those anymore. There is one for sale my me that I wanted to get. Not sure of the year, but it's a real deal Sonoma "Cameo" with all the factory body kit and rear window louvers. From what I hear, it's pretty rare.

So-GT0071

^^^ Nice addition with the pictures!

Also, thank you for the kind words and reminding me that I need to put up some new pictures! Man I lose track of time.

You should snag that Cameo if ya can get it for cheap! They are pretty rare just like the Sonoma GTs.

sidenote....will me signing that petition in your sig help at all with me being from AZ? If so I will sign it.

BlackDuk98

iTrader: (34)

I forgot to add something yesterday. Those axle tube seals must help pretty good with the addition of an o-ringed axle bearing, because for the first half of the season, my car didn't leak. And I forgot to put rtv around the bearing completely. From Moser the bearings are the same diameter for the o-ring and non o-ring, so if you do need to replace them, It's worth gettting that extra barier to stop leakage.

Thank you for wanting to help with the petition. I need to take that down now since the law has already passed. They re-wrote it, just as confusing as ever, but the "exibtion of acceleration" has been taken out, and now you can't get busted for street racing if you are the only one on the road anymore. I saw a bunch of people from other states signing it. I hate Ohio. If I go to my buddy's house today, I will snap a pic of the Cameo. It's probably burried in 2 1/2' of snow right now. It was for sale a year before, the guy sold it to his neighbor, and it has been sitting neglected since then. And it is a clean body truck to. I have no room for it at the moment. Would be neat to have. The guy who owns it now reminds me of a local guy w/ 2 Cyclones and 1 Typhoon sunk to their axles behind a garage. It's a shame.

Slvr00Bird

iTrader: (2)

One thing that I didn't see mentioned is this.. I wouldn't put the axle tube seal in unless you pack your bearings really really well with grease.. If you leave it without the seal, the diff grease will keep it lube'd..

Not sure on what kind of axle bearing you're using, but an o-ring styled one is key.. I'm running a Timken in mine with black rtv silicone all around it. It's been good and dry thus far.. I'd recommend pulling the axles and putting new bearings on it and see how it goes..

BlackDuk98

iTrader: (34)

Those are a sealed bearing that I don't think you can pack at all unless you can remove the top black plastic piece and be able to install it back on. Unless you mean the axle tube seals, then yeah, you need to put grease in that ridge all the way around it, just like doing a tranny tale housing seal.

c5formula

iTrader: (55)

it deff doesnt have the inner axle seals in it as i built it myself. the axle bearing i have are sealed but do not have the o-ring on them. could you tell me where to get these inner axle seals from and the o-ring style axle bearing? also were does the inner axle seals go in the axle tubes? oh and one more thing, the people that i got the rearend housing and axles with bearing from told me to use copper gasket stuff to put around the bearings to seal them in the axle tubes. should i be using this stuff or should i just use the black rtv stuff??

BlackDuk98

iTrader: (34)

Seals:
RAT-6128

Summit Racing sells them by that number, and Ratechmfg.com has them as 6128.

Bearings are also at Summit. This is a quote from an email that I got back from Moser when I was asking about bearings:

I went with the 9508B since it had the o-ring, I figure, added protection. Check the bearings that you have to make sure that they are the same diameter as the ones that I referenced the Summit part number to.

They come with a new taller bearing retainer, this is what caused metal shavings in my diff. You may be able to find the older ones withe the short retainer. I think it is because the axle tube(lip that acts as a stop for the seal) needed to be cut off more, which would allow the seal to go into the tube farther. This is due to the slip on housing ends. My diff is a stock length one. Personally, If I need to replace bearings, I will machine the retainers down about an 1/8" so I can use the axles seals again. Removing an 1/8" still makes the retainer taller than the old style, but will allow it to function without rubbing the tube seals.

I have used black RTV as well as everyone in my family, plus other members use it here as well.

Use a big socket to lightly tap the seal in the tube. The arrow points to the lip which will act as the stop and that is as far as you can tap the seal in. Also, remember to add grease to the entire inner lip of the seal. It's a u-shaped groove, fill it with grease.