Low Axle Oil

I don't think any damage was done. The lube gets slopped around in the axles quite a bit, so the bearings were not operated dry at any major length of time. Just go ahead and top it off and sleep well. An inch low on lube is barely consequential. Probably the shop did not top off the level after doing bearings and seals like you suspect. Next time you are there, let them know what you found and tell them to not be so sloppy.

 

Are you saying your diff oil is low by about an inch? If so, that isn't terrible. If you are running synthetic, I would just top it up and carry on. Nothing to panic about. The after having all 4 wheels done, the level dropped slightly from re-flooding the hubs. Yes, they should have checked that after a road test.

 

No biggie at all in my book.
Same goes for coolant when they have to drain it. Getting it all back in is near impossible. The engine needs to reach temp, then fully cool down, before being able to top it off correctly. Thus why I always get some extra coolant from the shop and top it off before starting the truck the next day.
Without knowing the circumstances of the repair, like if you had to get going right after it was finished, they had no one there licensed to test drive, etc, I wont say if it is a shop error or not. An inch low wont hurt a thing and is very easy to do from a shops stand point.

Martin

 

Don't forget, if you ever take the power divider off, on the older units there's a fill hole on the Eaton, on top, it takes two extra pints, I found out later on mine after trail and error, same thing, it was a little low when I changed lube a year later

 

Always check your levels before you leave the shop rule number 1 don't trust anybody don't assume they fill it up.

 

If it's not milky just fil it.

 

Your fine. An inch, even 2-3" your fine. Do your hubs have drain plugs? If not, that is why the fluid was low as there is no way to fill the hubs after bearing replacement. It takes a few miles for the lube to pump its way down the axle shafts and fill the hubs.

The axle housing is actually formed and designed to use the gears as a pump for the lube to get to the pinion bearings and carrier bearings. The axle shafts and driving bring the lube to the wheel hubs. A lube pump on the power divider (if equipped) will pump lube to the power divider diff and bearings.

Next time you or any service people you hire, remove the axle shafts, take a couple quarts of lube and your wrench with you and after 20 miles or so, stop and check the level. Warm lube will flow to the bearing hubs much faster than cold.

Rest assured that 1" low is fine and you're good to go. Think of it like your engine dipstick. You have a minimum level and a maximum level. Operating between these limits is considered optimum. Your axle is the same, and an inch of range is about optimum.

IMO.

 

we all want things right. but, an inch low is nothing to get high strung about.