Swivel hubs leaking - how urgent?

Have had a faint whiff of diff oil following me around for the past week or so. Checked diff & shocks for leaks but found nothing. Realisation hit me today that the dampness I can see on both swivel hubs must be the cause of the smell. Currently we are up near the tip of Cape York, & due back at Moreton Telegraph Station for wet season caretaking in 2 weeks. Not a lot of opportunity to get this sorted up here, & not a job that I’m up to myself with my knees & back.

Question is how urgent is it to get this done? I can monitor the diff oil level & keep it topped up as needed. We will be on the Cape for at least another 7 months, possibly longer. Might be able to get it done down in Weipa.

Both sides look similar.
Attachment 84344

They will be fine mate. Keep an eye on it. If they start spraying the inside of your tyre then act. It is not even a drip. You are good to go mate. Lucky Lucky Bastard.

Ok, panic has subsided. Spoke to a mechanic down at Weipa. Advised not to use car in 4wd (unlock hubs) & get it looked at within the next 1000kms max. Almost can’t recall last time the hubs were unlocked!

Looks like our time up here near the tip will be cut a bit short, & we won’t get to some of the places we were planning to go to but we should get further opportunity next year when we are finished our wet season caretaking gig at Moreton Telegraph Station.

We start at Moreton on 6th October. Car is booked in at Weipa on 5th. They will have a rebuild kit ready & reckon they’ll be able to do the full job that day, so we can drive back to Moreton (couple of hours) on the 6th.

What sort of cost is the norm for this job ? I know costs will be higher in Weipa with higher labour charges & freight costs on parts. My guess is probably $1500 to $2000. What say you?

Fair to say that the front diff has done a lot of work this year, including using the diff lock a fair bit. I reckon the issue has been there for a while, but has only become enough to smell the leak recently.

Fingers crossed that the wheel bearing rear seals will hold up until the 5th.

Thanks for the reassurance Darren, it helps! After Moreton we may be spending a further year near to Lockhart River, & have much more of the Cape yet to explore, so it made sense to get it done ASAP.

I would have no hesitation using 4wd with a leak that minor. If you are really concerned and you want piece of mind then roll under the front of your car with your 1/2" breaker bar and undo the filler nut to the front diff and stick your finger in. If your fluid is up near the top then drive on mate. If it's a little low then add some diff oil if you have it. You will dump it all out anyway. You would be weary about using 4wd only if your front diff was empty and dry.

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Originally Posted by MudRunnerTD

I would have no hesitation using 4wd with a leak that minor. If you are really concerned and you want piece of mind then roll under the front of your car with your 1/2" breaker bar and undo the filler nut to the front diff and stick your finger in. If your fluid is up near the top then drive on mate. If it's a little low then add some diff oil if you have it. You will dump it all out anyway. You would be weary about using 4wd only if your front diff was empty and dry.

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Yeah I hear what you're saying Darren, but when we are this far from anywhere we don't want to find ourselves well out in woop woop & out of range if the diff oil starts spraying the inside of the tyres. Mechanic also said we could do as you suggest, but then also suggested the risk of washing the grease out of the wheelbearings was probably around 50/50. We love our adventuring, but take a cautious approach to risk. If it were a 4wd jaunt in the woods near home I'd feel very differently about the risk. But thanks for your help. :smiley_thumbs_up:

Yeah that’s barely a leak. I wouldn’t be concerned about that at all.


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Originally Posted by Cuppa

Yeah I hear what you're saying Darren, but when we are this far from anywhere we don't want to find ourselves well out in woop woop & out of range if the diff oil starts spraying the inside of the tyres. Mechanic also said we could do as you suggest, but then also suggested the risk of washing the grease out of the wheelbearings was probably around 50/50. We love our adventuring, but take a cautious approach to risk. If it were a 4wd jaunt in the woods near home I'd feel very differently about the risk. But thanks for your help. :smiley_thumbs_up:

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To be honest mate that would still.pass Road Worthy. Not dripping. Almost just a sweat. It looks worse because the dust has stuck to the sweat. If yoy are worried I woyld wipe that clean and see if it happens again. With that amount I'd be astounded if you were at risk 9f washing your wheel bearings out. Even if you did you'd get to your destination without worry mate. I assume yoy will get a full rebuild with new bearings anyway. I wouldn't be panicking yet. I appreciate your concern and apprehension and being risk adverse. But you will be fine mate.

Just for some perspective Cuppa, here are a couple of Leaks that would need immediate maintenance and I would be concerned about blowing your bearings here.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2021/09/94.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2021/09/95.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2021/09/96.jpg

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...2021/09/97.jpg

Don't be too concerned mate. You might have 12 months in that.

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As the other lads have said mate. Very, very minor. Easy enough job to do yourself. But its a filthy dirty pig of a job

Lower knuckle bearing will be the one to cop it. You'd have to absolutely fill the swivel hub with oil too before the wheel bearings gear wet, also the inner hub seal is there to protect them from water/ dirt ingress. Plus the other oil seal thats on the wheel side of the swivel hub....

I see your concern because of where you are. If you have the time, get it fixed, if you don't, buy a couple of axle seals and hub seals and a spare wheel bearings and keep them spare and have a crack your self if its needed.

I wouldn't worry to much about that small weep. Keep in mind that a small drop of oil will spread and look like it is a lot more than it is. You will find the diff will still be totally full ( if it was originally )

I might have driven my old GQ around for three or four years with hubs that looked like that and it was absolutely fine. I wasn't going to act until it became a drip or a nuisance

New seals and a birthday will be nice, but it won't leave you stranded in the meantime.