• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

LMTV FMTV front axle outer seal replacement

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,932
5,004
113
Location
Portland, OR
What special tools do you have or need?

We just noticed gear lube coming out the rear axle vent; traced it to the right rear CTIS axle seal, there is gear lube in the banjo bolt =/ Not as big as the front axle job though—
Yep. Seems like most of these trucks need CTIS seals. Lack of air system maintenance and sitting. Definitely a must-do job while the hubs are apart for ECO hubs, etc.
 

Keith Knight

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
938
1,781
93
Location
Wauchula, FL
Ok back to this job looming over my head. I've purchased ECO Hubs to do as well. Now the total job is going to be the 4 axel seals #59 & 9 two of each, front and rear pinion seals, change front and rear third members from current 3.07 gears to go back to 3.90 gears, reinstall rear locker into the 3.90 carrier, and ECO hubs.
I'm trying to make a final decision on a couple things. The vehicle has 33,000 miles on it 30,000 I've put on it. Never mud bogging it and always keep it clean.

1st I've spoken with 3 different companies that work on these axles and they all say that they have never seen Bushings #11 & 61 go bad. Plus all my searching they are extremely rare to find them and I've been told Meritor stop making them. I did find some but I feel like I shouldn't need them. Opinions???

2nd Concerns the U-joints, I greased them before each big trip. Shouldn't those u-joints last a couple 100,000 miles? Opinions???

Thanks in advance
 

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,932
5,004
113
Location
Portland, OR
Bushings I wouldn't worry about.

U-joints should be greased every 3-5k miles. Replaced every 15k miles on the high angle drive line trucks. The rear shaft for sure anyway. They are cheap and easy to change - don't risk a failure. You'll be looking for a new truck.

The speeds these turn at the angles they run is well beyond the operational design envelope. As such no "manufacturer recommendations" apply. Remember the Army's expected lifespan on these trucks is 35k miles. Meritor says 100k mile service intervals.... But Meritor didn't design the truck or the drive line angle. Stewart and Stevenson did. And they did it wrong - as evidenced by the high pinion rear axle adopted on the late A1R and up through current production A1P2 trucks. If that were not the case they would not have bothered making that change. From this and from the lifespan expectations you can infer that a not-insignificant number of trucks experienced driveshaft/u-joint failure well within the 35k miles chassis life expectation while in service with the Army. Otherwise they wouldn't have spent the money to change the 4x4 rear axle to the high pinion variant.

Edit - you're talking about the front axle steering u-joints? Those I wouldn't worry about. Grease em every oil change or more often if you feel like it. They will give plenty of warning before failure.
 
Last edited:

Keith Knight

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
938
1,781
93
Location
Wauchula, FL
Thanks for the advice, i was referring to the front axle steering u-joint.
Now you got me thinking of the drive shaft u-joints. Are the front and rear drive shafts the same u-joints? Spicer R-279X?

Edit: the lmtv parts spread sheet has that part number.... is it supposed to be 5-279X?
 

MatthewWBailey

Father, Husband and Barn Hermit
Steel Soldiers Supporter
754
1,398
93
Location
Mesa, Colorado
Thanks for the advice, i was referring to the front axle steering u-joint.
Now you got me thinking of the drive shaft u-joints. Are the front and rear drive shafts the same u-joints? Spicer R-279X?

Edit: the lmtv parts spread sheet has that part number.... is it supposed to be 5-279X?
I just balanced mine and replaced 4 of these. They all said R-279X on the box. And 5-279X as a "replaced" number
527D45F1-4310-49A5-94B7-0331054A888A.jpeg0DD75426-7748-4A8B-B8A4-AFECDE021BF6.jpeg
 

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,932
5,004
113
Location
Portland, OR
Things like the type of bolts used, type of grease seals, etc. stuff that really doesn't matter. The newer Meritor joints come with break away bolts that snap off at the correct torque. Older ones come with normal bolts, etc. They all work fine.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks