Blowed wheel seels

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by hazzmatt89, Mar 25, 2025.

  1. hazzmatt89

    hazzmatt89 Light Load Member

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    IMG_4952.jpeg IMG_4951.jpeg IMG_4944.jpeg Figured I write a post and get some feedback,

    I haul local flatbed and I’m in some dusty conditions also a good bit of time truck is a 1995 international 9400

    I delivered my load today and was unstrapping and notice gear oil everywhere on my back drive axel looked like a painting all over everything airbags you name it , wasn’t there when I got loaded this morning and was a 3 hour drive. Nothing was smoking or no loss of power or noises. They took 3 hours to unload so it did cool off a bit because it was hot the axel itself when I got under there. Took the vent off to see if it was clogged didn’t see much and cleaned it out with brake cleaner and put it back on.

    I drove it to the yard about 50 miles away I park at that has a shop and kept an eye out for or anything out of the ordinary, got to the yard and the other wheel seel blew on the driver side of the rear axle so now both sides blew out. Brake pads soaked with oil. The shop is gonna get to it tomorrow and see what the issue it. Any insight of what might be the issue? Here’s some pics of how it looked when I got back
     

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  3. hazzmatt89

    hazzmatt89 Light Load Member

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    Also have noticed the outside of the diff has been sweating and wet lately but no leaks from the gasket
     
  4. okiedokie

    okiedokie Road Train Member

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    Usually don't loose 2 seals at a time. Good on you for catching those weeping seals. It can go from bad to worse real quick. Hot enough to catch fire.
     
    Iamoverit Thanks this.
  5. wore out

    wore out Numbered Classic

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    CHASIN THE DEVIL'S HERD
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    Check your axle vents…..odds are they are stopped up.
     
    Bean Jr., OldeSkool and Rugerfan Thank this.
  6. JB7

    JB7 Heavy Load Member

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    Remove and clean the breathers on the differential/axle housing. Especially in dusty conditions.
    Missed this the first read.
    "Took the vent off to see if it was clogged didn’t see much and cleaned it out with brake cleaner and put it back on."
    Other than the vent would be worn and/or loose wheel bearings. Possibly caused by wear particles in the differential flowing with the oil to the wheel bearings.
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2025
    Iamoverit, 201 and Bean Jr. Thank this.
  7. hazzmatt89

    hazzmatt89 Light Load Member

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    Iv had the truck a year did the front axle seals but haven’t touched these since I have had the truck only ran about 30k miles since Iv had it, it was just one then the 2nd went not long after I am glad I noticed it before heading further from home to get a coil
     
  8. hazzmatt89

    hazzmatt89 Light Load Member

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    The shop did mention they where gonna check the wheel bearings the vent is also old I’ll put a new one on can’t hurt
     
    JB7 Thanks this.
  9. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Makes a mess. Most of the time, a seal goes out because of metal contamination, from gear and bearing wear. With the distance you drove, I doubt any MORE harm was done, but something in the axle is coming apart. Dropping what little oil is left will reveal the "metallic paint" remains, and that's where the fun begins. New oil and seals will help, but same thing will happen down the line. If oil ruined the seal, the contaminants didn't help the bearings any. I'd replace them all with GOOD bearings, not Chinese junk. Good luck.
     
    hope not dumb twucker and JB7 Thank this.
  10. Heavyd

    Heavyd Road Train Member

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    I've seen this before on trucks that have sat for a long time and rust creeps in between the seal and hub. Once you get some miles on it the rust chews up the seal to cause rapid and multiple failures. If there is any sign of rust causing this, it would be a good idea to check the others.
     
  11. hazzmatt89

    hazzmatt89 Light Load Member

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    Welll update time I feel like an idiot actually, rear wheel seels weren’t leaking after shop steamed and cleaned all the oil up.

    Apparently when I took my truck the day before to local loves/speedco line zone the tech didn’t torque my fill plug in my front diff and 300 miles of driving later it rattled my fill plug out and shot most of all my gear oil
    Out from my front diff out, which is why I thought I blew my wheel seels out. I didn’t even look at the front plug in the midst of everything. They are gonna pull my front diff and re seal it, it was leaking some anyway from gasket and inspect my front diff hoping it will be okay wasnt making noises or smoking when I got back to the yard yesterday
     
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