So, is this a sign of a failed axle seal?

[Brian.]

Photos are of the ABS sensor space, one sensor (wiped the other off before thinking about it) ~ there's not really a lot of Obvious goo in the drums, but enough to get me investigating.

Drivers side:

Drivers side sensor:

Passenger side:

Pulled the breather, it moved freely when I pushed on it but when I introduced cleaner, it didn't pass. Pulled it apart (already had a replacement) and it looked like the rubber seal had glued itself to the opening.


I'm afraid I know the answer, just want confirmation.

 

[APhelps]

Looks like you got wheel bearing grease on the sensor, so yes it looks like a failed axle seal.

 

[TheLincolnGreen]

Any fluid on the inside of the tire? That's how I noticed mine.

 

[MStudt]

Do you have oil (not grease) running down your tire? A sure sign of a failed seal is diff fluid running down your tire or backing plate.

Usually when a seal fails it's due to your wheel bearing being shot. When a bearing has too much play in it, it'll cause the seal to fail, and fluid to come out of the housing.

Mike

 

[Brian.]

Nope, insides of tires (I've only driven 2k since buying, just cleaned the insides of the wheels/tires today for the first time) have no sign of oil/dripping/leakage. 20 years of brake dust that was never cleaned from the rim in one uniform coat, but that's it. Fronts were the same (though I don't think the PO rotated tires, they have very distinct wear issues), no fluids and never cleaned with a very uniform coating of brake dust.

Alright.... no money in the budget, gotta think on this. This isn't something that's going to catastrophically fail in an instant (like a LBJ), right? Just a wheel bearing that gets noisy and oil that leaks on the tire and brakes (I'm not a heavy brake user), right?

 

[MStudt]

Nope, insides of tires (I've only driven 2k since buying, just cleaned the insides of the wheels/tires today for the first time) have no sign of oil/dripping/leakage. 20 years of brake dust that was never cleaned from the rim in one uniform coat, but that's it. Fronts were the same (though I don't think the PO rotated tires, they have very distinct wear issues), no fluids and never cleaned with a very uniform coating of brake dust.

Alright.... no money in the budget, gotta think on this. This isn't something that's going to catastrophically fail in an instant (like a LBJ), right? Just a wheel bearing that gets noisy and oil that leaks on the tire and brakes (I'm not a heavy brake user), right?

You can tell the diff fluid has never been changed by the color of it. Nothing will if you don't change the bearing right away, but you will start to feel some vibrations in the seat as they go. As the bearing get worse you'll start to notice fluid seeping out.

Mike

 

[Andy in Pa]

Do you have oil (not grease) running down your tire? A sure sign of a failed seal is diff fluid running down your tire or backing plate.

Usually when a seal fails it's due to your wheel bearing being shot. When a bearing has too much play in it, it'll cause the seal to fail, and fluid to come out of the housing.

Mike

X2.... Your fine... Yes, at some point a little gear oil has probably burped its way in there, and that could also be wheel bearing grease.

You have a bad seal when gear oil is soaking your brake pads, and leaking out the back of the brake drum backing plate, or is dripping down your tire.

 

[Bad Luck]

It doesn't look like too much fluid so you may be able to get away with replacing just the axle seal. I'd pull the axle shaft and inspect your wheel bearings. For what it's worth my brand new OEM wheel bearings had a little side to side play as in I could pull the outside of the bearing towards and away the splined portion of the axle shaft.