Hub Seal @34K Miles

[TFucili]

Took my 2015 2500 6.4 for free tire rotation this morning. Service writer says, "You've got a leaky left rear hub". Sure enough all slobbered up. Figured I'd stop being lazy, and do it myself. Get the caliper and rotor off, go to remove the flange bolts with my 3/8 Snappy cordless impact, wouldn't touch them, and that thing is stout. Hmmm, get the 1/2", go easy and let it work a bit, finally walks the first one out. Second one no sooner I pull the trigger---CLICK---snaps off in the hub. Oh boy! Got the rest out, pulled the hub and after a couple hours of drilling, finally got the last dregs of that sucker out, without ruining the threads. WHEW, I am seldom that lucky. Those bolts had some ferocious patch-lok or something on them. I had to run a thread chaser down them to clean the threads. Thanks AAM, I needed this fun like a hole in the head. Just got her back together. Didn't have the seal driver, had to do the old block of wood method. Fingers crossed.

 

[jgillott]

You didn't expect it to be easy did you?

 

[TFucili]

You didn't expect it to be easy did you?

Heck no! It's been so long since I pulled a full floater apart, probably a '76 F250, these are a fair bit different. Like the keyway for the nut with that retaing ring thing.

 

[Wayne M.]

Yup. The hub nut setup is veryGM style, going very way back.
I’ve been seeing a lot of thread locking going on, especially the Fords. Whenever I see a tough bolt like that, I get the mapp torch out and a bit o heat makes the problem melt away.

 

[DonFitzwater]

It’s amazing how many of these AAM rear axle seals leak! I’ve had a few trucks that wouldn’t stop leaking.....even after cleaning the vents, replacing bearings etc. Some just don’t leak ever. I miss Dana axles.

 

[mwilson]

Make sure it’s not too full. I lost one on the ‘06 because of that.
Fill only to the line on the diff cover, NOT to the bottom of the fill plug. Under warranty, tech started reading me the riot act for it being overfull which caused the seal to fail at 6,000 miles or so but I held up my hand and said “You guys did the PDI on it, not me!! I hadn’t touched it..”

 

[TFucili]

I have a pretty low opinion of AAM anyway. I had a '95 Tahoe that had continuous front axle seal leaks from new, not to mention that asinine thermal actuator for the front engagement. I was about to go lemon law when a good customer, who was up the food chain at GM Service, intervened, and had the entire front axle changed out to a later, better design. He told me straight up that the tooling GM had for the corporate axles was flat wore out, and they would never make that axle right. When GM sold the axle division to AAM they kept right on building the same out of spec crap. I guess I was lucky with my '05.

 

[jgillott]

I have a pretty low opinion of AAM anyway. I had a '95 Tahoe that had continuous front axle seal leaks from new, not to mention that asinine thermal actuator for the front engagement. I was about to go lemon law when a good customer, who was up the food chain at GM Service, intervened, and had the entire front axle changed out to a later, better design. He told me straight up that the tooling GM had for the corporate axles was flat wore out, and they would never make that axle right. When GM sold the axle division to AAM they kept right on building the same out of spec crap. I guess I was lucky with my '05.

Funny, my wife had a 2005 Silverado with the same issues.

 

[mwilson]

2008 Yukon, same here....

 

[DavidC]

Anyone know the reason for the switch from Dana to AAM ?. $$$$$$$ ?

Dave

 

[TFucili]

I would have to say, no doubt. Our old company trucks had Dana axles, and saw unreal abuse. They never gave a lick of trouble.

 

[Wayne M.]

Anyone know the reason for the switch from Dana to AAM ?. $$$$$$$ ?

Dave

I explained it in the frond driveshaft thread.
The move from Spicer to AAM was when the 3 gens were on the drawing board, DCX was coming in and overhauling (pulling the rug out) of all parts contracts.

 

[DavidC]

Strange, Dana was under some of the most potent vehicles of the time and I never read of problems. Guess that is unheard of these days as they cannot make money on things that do not break.

Dave

 

[TFucili]

Strange, Dana was under some of the most potent vehicles of the time and I never read of problems. Guess that is unheard of these days as they cannot make money on things that do not break.

Dave

Whether it was Daimler or, more recently, Fiat, you can bet your $$$ assumption is at the root of it.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Make sure it’s not too full. I lost one on the ‘06 because of that.
Fill only to the line on the diff cover, NOT to the bottom of the fill plug. Under warranty, tech started reading me the riot act for it being overfull which caused the seal to fail at 6,000 miles or so but I held up my hand and said “You guys did the PDI on it, not me!! I hadn’t touched it..”

Been there and done that. My 2006 had leaking seals from the beginning of time and after several seal replacements I had to escalate with Chrysler. They had the tech replace the wheel bearings and after continual leaking, they begrudgingly replaced the rear axle assembly. They were basically forced to because the tech that replaced the bearings waaaaaaaay overtightened the preload on the wheel bearings and they grenaded in about 250 miles or so. Metal everywhere and howling like a Hillary convention........there were even chunks in the diff oil.

 

[NIsaacs]

Anyone know the reason for the switch from Dana to AAM ?. $$$$$$$ ?

Dave

Back in the day before the internet, I bought and searched out any magazine that had to do with trucks and diesels. I read an article that said Ford had exclusive rights to the 3.73 Dana gear, for oem's. Dodge wanted it....that's what I remember

 

[Ozymandias]

I like my AAM axles entirely, no issues so far, many rebuilt dana axle on jeeps before.
Installed locker into AAM, setup of backlash and preload was never so easy as on this one, no shims, no problem.

 

[Wayne M.]

Been there and done that. My 2006 had leaking seals from the beginning of time and after several seal replacements I had to escalate with Chrysler. They had the tech replace the wheel bearings and after continual leaking, they begrudgingly replaced the rear axle assembly. They were basically forced to because the tech that replaced the bearings waaaaaaaay overtightened the preload on the wheel bearings and they grenaded in about 250 miles or so. Metal everywhere and howling like a Hillary convention........there were even chunks in the diff oil.

I seem to remember this. You threaded it here, no?

 

[Wayne M.]

I like my AAM axles entirely, no issues so far, many rebuilt dana axle on jeeps before.
Installed locker into AAM, setup of backlash and preload was never so easy as on this one, no shims, no problem.

Not a lick of trouble from mine either.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I seem to remember this. You threaded it here, no?

Hmmmm.....too long ago for me to remember. It’s just strange that some of my trucks have been seal eaters with no apparent reason and others never leak. One of our vendors has a 3/4 ton 4th gen that has had seals replaced 4 times in under a year. Local dealership told him “they just leak sometimes and there isn’t anything we can’t do”.