2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front Axle leak/bad headlights, bad day...

[sheamc]

Walked outside yesterday and noticed a puddle under my passenger side fenderwell. Found a leak through the top of vent tube under the air cleaner. Was all over inner fenderwell. Found line went back to the disconnect. Didn't believe that this area had a lube so am I correct in thinking I may have a bad axle seal? Also, headlights now have problems, low beams only work when steering wheel tilted up, but high beams work at any position. Now low beams don't always work. Any suggestions...

 

[JFaughn]

You talk about line / leak to disconnect , need more of a description to know what that is .
The headlight issue , sound like the wires are breaking in harness in steering column do you use the tilt in column a lot ? this may break wires over time .

 

[sheamc]

The line seems to be a vent lint that runs up the inner fenderwell to a one way valve under the air cleaner. From what I've seen, it looks to hook into the CAD closer to the center section.

 

[Pavemen]

the axle seal on a cad axle is on the outer side of the cad unit, so yes this area has fluid.

its very possible to get an air bubble in the vent line that traps fluid above it and once the axle heats up, it will burp the fluid in the line.

as long as fluid it running out of the axle ends or CAD housing and the fluid level is fine, just clean it up and dont worry about it.

 

[CumminsPower98]

If you fill the front diff to the fill plug this vent hose burping will happen easier. I think the correct fill level is a half inch down. I have seen this on a couple trucks including mine and when we lowered the levels a tad the problem went away.



I agree with the other poster on the headlight problem probably being a broken wire in the column.