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88 M998 leaking front Axel shaft

xerofuzzion

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Dallas Texas
I just got my 1988 M998 titled and register, so I took it out for a drive. Came back and saw it was leaking from the driver side Axel boot. Is this something serious?

20180514_165010.jpg
 

BLK HMMWV

Well-known member
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It's common. congratulations you just bought a High Maintenance Money Wasting Vehicle ( HMMWV for short).
Get your self a set of TM's or check out the TM section .
Start doing your maintenance procedures.
If it's just a cracked boot you can replace it.
if it's an 88 and that's an original boot you got many years out of it.
 

Bulldogger

Well-known member
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The advice given me when my first boot (two now) cracked was to just surf around and find a good cheap surplus NOS half shaft and replace the entire thing. The logic being that it takes MUCh longer to disassemble a half shaft to replace just a boot. I took that advice and am glad I did. I can replace a half shaft in 40 minutes, it would take that long to disassemble the old one I suspect.

So I recommend just grabbing a new old stock half shaft and throwing it on.

Also, as noted, that "X" hub is a warning. I heartily recommend an "open and inspect" on every hub. If something goes wrong on one, and one of mine had water intrusion and a bearing starting to rust, they can detach from the vehicle while in motion in the worst case. It doesn't take long to get one open and serviced, once you practice on the first one.

Welcome to the maintenance, I mean experience.

Bulldogger
 

Retiredwarhorses

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Hmmm, why do folks think this white X means something bad? In my shop on builds I do exactly this to visually see that I have filled the hub, diff, Tcase etc.
This was most likely done to show that the SOUM was applied or some form of other maint activity.
If a component is faulty, we used Red, not white. It’s common for maint facilities at all levels to adopt “local” procedures for things such as this.
 

cajadao

Member
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Location
dallas/texas
In my case, when I found a blue X under a glowplug port, it called my attention... it was a bad swallowed 1.
They knew it, and (thanks) they marked it.
Red color to mark issues is a very good convention... but, we can run out of red pretty quickly. Maybe blue or white is what they had to mark it.
I see X markings, to me, it says: look into this, you have something to fix here.
 

98G

Former SSG
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AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
As cajadao said, the white x could be anything, but it certainly means something and bears a closer examination.

Losing a hub at speed will almost certainly result in rollover and fatality. Not that we're worried about you, but it'll generate bad publicity for the hobby (I'm kidding in case it isn't obvious)
 

LouWon

Active member
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I would remove the cover, only 4 bolts and make certain you have the proper hub shaft locks
[h=3]Type 2: Military 8 Slot PN# 01-382-5031 *superseded from original 4 slot version[/h]
 

Action

Well-known member
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East Tennessee
I would remove the cover, only 4 bolts and make certain you have the proper hub shaft locks
Type 2: Military 8 Slot PN# 01-382-5031 *superseded from original 4 slot version
there are 4 bolts on the steering arm. Take the 8 bolts out of the inspection cover if you want to see inside...

s-l1600.jpg
 

Bulldogger

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there are 4 bolts on the steering arm. Take the 8 bolts out of the inspection cover if you want to see inside...

View attachment 728548
Agree with draining and opening the inspection cover. New gear oil isn't expensive and it tells you more than peeking in through another access port. Be sure to get the anaerobic sealant recommended, for the inspection cover seal. It's available at auto parts stores from Permatex and others. Just follow the directions and no worries. It is used on other spots too, so it won't go to waste after this single preventive maintenance action.
Bulldogger
 
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