Leaking Rear Drive

[badf85]

Ok, I have had this on my '02 and now on my '06. Both have leaked oil. The '02 was repaired twice before I traded it for the '06. Now the '06 has had the seals replced twice in the last year and leaking again. It has 45,000 miles on it. They have been taken care of under warranty. The shop has seals in stock for me now. Anyone else had any problem with this? My first C10 was a '88 i rode 3?,000 miles and never had this problem.

[RFH87_Connie]

Where is it leaking from?  Most of the leaks that are mentioned on the forum are caused by nicking/slicing the o-ring ($3) that is just behind the pinion gear when the rear drive is removed, or it is just plain old.  The new one will just (carefully) roll over the pinion into the groove.  I haven't nicked, one but did have an old one that weeped.  Replacing it solved that.  I've also had the large (5") hub seal go bad.  That makes a total mess on the hidden side of the rear drive and will start leaving a small puddle on the ground as big as a quarter and a stripe down the tire each time you park.

Who says the shop did it right?

[badf85]

It has been the big seal every time. Start to notice oil spots on the rim. After replacing the seals it will stay dry for a while.

[RFH87_Connie]

If it is leaking over and over, I would think the seal surface is rough on the hub.  It is a pretty easy job if you have done this type of seal before.  They remove and install just like the smaller ones, just don't bend it or push it in too far when reinstalling.  A short 6" piece of PVC works well if you cut a slot in it to fit correctly.  Put a hose clamp around the pvc to keep it the correct size.  If you do it yourself you can take a good look at the hub mating surface.  You could ask the shop to, but they would probably want to replace the part.

Are we talking the same shop on all of those repairs?  This leak is somewhat uncommon and usually happens maybe once to someone - not 5 times.

Maybe it's time to buy a used one that is in good shape.

[RFH87_Connie]

I'm sure other will add to this post.  I also remember that if the little (1/16") vent hole is blocked, it will push oil out somewhere when it heats up from riding.  Its free to check, just takes time.  Its accessed only by removing the rear wheel.