what should be fixed when the rear differential is dry ?

mine wasn't totally dry, it had about 6.ounces in it, but the truck recently started to 'whine' or 'sing' at speeds over 60mph, so i checked the fluids...

haven't done anything for months, but i do go off-roading occasionally, under water, etc..

 

make sure the differential cover gasket isnt leaking, not sure if the cover is towards the front or the rear on that year. also pull your rear drum brakes off and make sure your axle shaft seals arent leaking fluid into your brakes. it'll be obviously really greasy if those seals are leaking.

 

Your bearings are probably fubbared if you heard them singing. I would pull the third and have it rebuilt...gonna fail at some point IMO..

 

I ran mine dry for a few hundred miles with no real trouble. I fixed the rear bearings & seals & filled it; been running fine for a few thousand miles now. I'd be most worried about the wheel bearings & seals.

 

Yea I suppose you can get lucky..I have just grenaded a few thirds over the years..one for sure as a result of limited lubrication

 

I rebuild diffs.

Just sayin....

 

thanks everyone...
im probably gonna be calling soon .

 

the good news is its still dry (after 10 hours of sitting).
that is good news right ?

 

Not really!! These things most often leak only when moving if it leaks when sitting you have major problems.

It could also be your vent is blocked building up pressure as things get hot.

Then when was the last time you changed or checked the gear oil??

it might be such a small leak you never notice even more so if your driving through deep water and it washes off.

 

swapped all (driveline) fluids 2 years ago.
i noticed a slight whine about 3 months ago at high speeds (this truck is only driven on rainy days, and even then, only 3 miles to work, or a store at low speeds <40mph

i will take a drive during a dry time and check it again. (esp prior to any more roadtrips)

 

after a long drive, the singing is gone.

pix to come, but i filled it up and it leaked out the top of the pumpkin part (not the breather) where the 8 or 10 smaller bolts plug into the axle (pumpkin part).

it was leaking from about 1 o-clock area, but doesn't leak when sitting still.

i will clean it all up, check the tightness of the bolts, and plan to loosen all the bolts, clean the metal up, drop a bead of gasket maker on the cracked open part, and tighten it back up.

then (depending on the dirt) flush it out again...hope that stops the leak.

 

Check to make sure the breather "breathes" as well.

 

breather looks fine (well, dry)

the leak appears to be from 1 or 2 oclock on the diff. (rainy day, but in the pic, we can see where the diff bolts together, there is a ring of liquid, and this is evident after a freeway drive (on dry days...today its raining alot, so there is a bit of water ).

thinking i can simply
- clean it up
- check bolt tighteness
- if bolts are loose, loosen them more, clean, add "gasket maker" and
- retighten

thoughs ?

temporary-69.jpg?t=1357595938

 

mark the driveshaft and yokes, unbolt driveshaft from yokes, pull cover off and replace the gasket. might as well do it right if you are going to do anything.

 

balanced yokes aye ?

ok, thanks,
someone was saying i would have to pull the axle, and i was trying to find an easier way.

and to be clear, that forward facing diff cover can just slip right off ?

 

Yes, if you're going to pull the third member, you'll need to pull both axles, at least 3-4" out. That big "pumpkin" that bolts to the front of the housing is the third member, and it's a heavy sucker. That's what your differential is actually mounted in. The only way to fix a leak around it is to remove it, clean the mating surfaces very well, and deal/reinstall. It isn't too bad a job. Just make sure that you don't damage the axle seals while pulling/reinstalling. Lots of write ups here.

Sent from my iPhone using YotaTech

 

you want to mark the driveshaft and the yokes so you can reinstall them in the same position. this is important. otherwise you could get weird vibrations.

and i am unsure how the axle works on a yota. but ya, seems like you might have to pull the axles from what combatcarl says. once you get it apart, make sure you clean the sealing surfaces well, acetone or even carb cleaner would work. then install new gasket.