Rear End Service interval

[aliendude]

Does anyone know if there was a service interval on the rear ends of
Dodge clippers?    

Does it just use 90W gear oil?     They never made sure-trac or "posi"
Chev terminology ones right?  

If I service it what are the chances My outer wheel bearing seals will
start seeping?   Figuring nobody ever touched it for 30 years of neglect.

:roll:

[Horst]

If in fact it hasn't been touched in 30 years - well - then you're gonna have problems anyway. Wheel bearings are likely already seeping, but that's not the end of the world.

Not 100% on this - but I seem to recall that rear end fluid should be changed every 30,000 miles.

Does that sound right?
Horst (who is too lazy to go get his Clymer's or Chilton's at the moment - time to put the kids to bed)

[aliendude]

Have you ever changed the outer seals on one of those?  
I looked at it and was trying to figure out how it comes apart.  

Does the axle come out, then the huge drum comes off?  
Are there C-clips in the differential?  Somebody once told me
those kind you just unbolt the bolts and slide the axle out.  
So they can be replaced easier if broken.

I have never worked on any truck rear end brakes.  
Have not been able to find any books on it yet.

Where would a person buy outer seals for it?   CSK AUTO and AUTOZONE
don't list a M400 Dodge Van.  Only the B300 1 ton.  

Can I buy diff cover gaskets?   Or just make one from a cereal box and
goop it up.

[handyman]

Hay Dude to remove the axels you take the six or is it eight bolts out of the center cap then rap it and the cap will come out with the axel hooked to it after that theres two big nuts inside with lock tabs unbend the tabs and undue the nuts then the drum comes off the gaskets you should be able to get at napa tell them it's for a mb300 motorhome chasse lots of work but has to be done I think Horst was right its 30.000 miles then clean and pack the bearings like any truck  good luck

[bigray]

My brother and I removed the rear gears with the intentions of going with taller gears but was advise not to do it.

My brother who is smarter than I am (advance shade tree) actually used liquid paper and make a mark on the hub and axle so that he could tell exatly how the reinsert the axle shaft that pulls out when you remove the bolts that Jim described above.

Don't know what type of oil he put back in there buy it was the standard gear oil of that application. We did not repack the rear bearing as my brother is from the school of thought that believes that the rotation of the rearend gears sends oil out to the bearing for lubrication.

I read on this forum or somewhere else that greasing the bearing was only necessary for the short period of time so that the rearend lub could reach the bearings.  Do I believe that? Well, when I go home for Thanksgiving we are going to grease the front and rear bearings. Cheap insurance 'ey!


Wasn't too bad but that rearend chunck is heavy as you know what? Good Luck.

[handyman]

Your right the grease is just insurence bye the way anyone out there in clipper land I have the speacel socket for the rear drum nuts makes it real easy to work on I'll take twenty five for it its really a life saver

[Conrad]

I replaced my rear end brakes, brake hardware (springs etc), brake cylinders, turned the rotors (very heavy), replaced the inner and outer bearings and races, New gaskets, new lock nuts, new seals,and repacked the bearings before reinstallation.  There was some discussion when I posted the a similar question on bearing grease and differential Lube last year.  Do a search on "rear end" or bearings and you will get the info.  

I can report that my shade tree expierience worked out well.  

I made sure that I filled the differential to what was specified in my manual.  I have had no leaks, nor overheating on the bearings.  My clipper has 88,000 miles on it and I don't think it was ever serviced.  But... who really knows.

[aliendude]

That socket,  do you know what size it is?   I found a service
manual for this rear end on www.mymopar.com.   Page 32 lists like
6 different sizes of Chrysler "Funky" wrench part numbers.

You still have it?

[handyman]

Dude mine is 21/2 on one end and 25/8 on the other

[aliendude]

Thanks !     I'm just trying to gather info..... Did you see that www.mymopar.com site?   It has some good info.   I was reading there
are 2 differential covers... one that is flat around the bolts, and one
that has dimple impressions between the bolt holes.   The flat
one takes no gasket but RTV - the dimpled one has to have a gasket.

Stuff like that.

Anyone remember if the passenger side nuts in the hub are
backwards?

[Jimbilly]

Concerning the discussion on the repacking and the importance of wheel bearing grease for the rear axel bearings, it is important to grease the bearings to insure long life and dependiblity.  The grease is not only important initially after working on the rear axel but also in the day to day use.  To quote the shop manual "Axel lubricant can also flow into the wheel hubs and bearings: however, wheel bearing grease is the primary lubricant. The wheel bearing grease provides lubrication until the axle lubricant reaches the bearings during normal operation".  Better to be safe than sorry.