Transfercase Rear Extension Housing Bushing

[DSorenson]

I have a 09 3500 4x4 dually that is leaking fluid from the rear extension housing on the transfercase. I have tried replacing the seal and the leak still persists, and may have even gotten worse. Based on comments in other threads I'm now planning on replacing both the extension housing bushing and the drive shaft slip yoke. I was hoping someone might have some experience replacing the extension housing bushing. A replacement bushing can be purchased, but how difficult is the actual swap-out, or would the better path be to simply purchase a replacement housing complete with bushing and seal?

Replacing the slip yoke doesn't look too bad. The biggest challenge appears to be lining up the over-sized tooling needed to press the old u-joint out and a new one back in. Any recommendations or experience there would be appreciated as well.

Thanks!
Don

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I covered it a couple years ago in my column.

 

[cerberusiam]

Unless the slip yoke is showing definite wear with grovves or low spots I wouldn't bother with it. The bushing is th eusual source of the problem.

If you can source the housing for a decent price it beats getting the bushing presses and tools to change out the bushing. Some places were selling the housing, bushing, and seal for $80 or so. Not hardly worth the effort to change the bushing at that price.

 

[DSorenson]

Thanks for the coaching!

I thought I'd follow-up on this thread in case anyone else finds it in a search.

I did ultimately find the cause of the problem. The transfer case fluid was leaking from the U-joint end of the slip yoke. When I first discovered the problem my reaction was that the yoke was somehow leaking fluid, but I could not imagine how that could be the case. I kept wanting to blame the extension housing seal, but that wasn't it.

What I didn't know at the time is the yoke is indeed hollow and is open to oil flow from within the transfer case. There is what looks like a brass plug (think engine block freeze plug) that appears to be pressed into the back of the yoke. Apparently on some units the seal around the plug fails and fluid beings to leak out and is of course thrown all over the place by the spinning drive shaft. I simply used break cleaner and an old toothbrush and cleaned the area out well, let it dry and then use some RTV gasket maker to seal the perimeter of the plug back up. Drove the truck 500 miles over the weekend and no leaking. Others have discovered the same problem and used the same solution with success.

I couldn't find any related posts on this Cummings sight, but if you Google "Dodge 3500 slip yoke leak" you will find several related forum posts with pictures.

Good Luck!

Don

 

[whitecrow4]

3500 dualie, Aisin transmission and 4:10 gears. 5th wheel/gooseneck prep. B&W hitch that mounts with the four pucks.

OR

Buy an used Volvo 610 singled out and registered as a MH for half the price.

Both will do the job, however the Volvo will do it without breaking a sweat! They will get about the same MPG. With the Volvo sleeper you can make side trips.

SNOKING