Axle vents and off roading

[Rattlehead]

Need to replace an axle vent that stuck on me (internally, the cap moves freely) and squeezed lube out of a couple of seals. Has anyone modified theirs with pipes/hose, other options to prevent mud/water contamination or blockage? It would be simple to do, but I also worry about condensation building up and causing more problems, especially if below freezing.

It also seems that many of the MV parts dealers don't carry the stock vents. Boyce has them but they have a $25 min order. Guess I could have them throw in a set of super singles, eh?

 

[Towerguy1]

I believe cranetruck has done a simular modification, I'm looking into it myself. I'm going to run some lines and vent them up high.

 

[breelanr]

This is what I did. The vent is from the Jeep dealer, it's the vent for rear axle on a 2001 Wrangler.

 

[Jones]

I'm mounting the vents for the baby HEMTT high on the outside of the bed headboard. My only tip would be to make sure the connecting tubing always runs uphill. That way, any fumes that condense into oil/gear lube will run back into the gearcase and not puddle and congeal into a plug.
Same way with the line that comes from the air compressor to the air tanks; always keep a little down grade so oil vapors and condensation end up in the tanks where the drains can take care of them.

 

[rizzo]

I'm venting mine to a vent block on the firewall

 

[cranetruck]

Re: RE: Axle vents and off roading

I believe cranetruck has done a simular modification, I'm looking into it myself. I'm going to run some lines and vent them up high.

Right, I'm actually able to pressurize all axle housings, transfer as well as the bellhousing/transmission (standard fording kit option).
Pressure is about 2 to 3 psi.
Remember to keep a tight seal around the shift lever for proper pressurization of the transmission.

 

[nickd]

RE: Re: RE: Axle vents and off roading

Hey Bjorn! How about an article on the install?

 

[cranetruck]

RE: Re: RE: Axle vents and off roading

Possibly, but it was mentioned in the "fording" articles, perhaps a more detailed description is in order......

 

[jwaller]

RE: Re: RE: Axle vents and off roading

I'd like to know how you get that 2-3psi output? do you have a line on a regulator that will do this with the range of psi's that our trucks have? I'd think just abuot anybody can figure out how to run lines into the fittings on the diff's and tranny.

 

[cranetruck]

RE: Re: RE: Axle vents and off roading

The deep water fording kit includes a low pressure regulator, I simply tee off from it.

 

[jwaller]

RE: Re: RE: Axle vents and off roading

thats what I figured. I'm still tring to find a civy reg to do that bc I cant find a milspec orig one.

 

[Rattlehead]

I had another thought on this topic. I believe the original vents are designed to hold a small amount of pressure (1 psi?) at all times, above which they release to the atmosphere. They also, upon cooling, do not allow any reverse flow back into the axle, for the purpose of not allowing water in if suddenly submerged in cold water. So if this is the true operation, wouldn't the axle seals give in to the negative pressure in the axle once dipped in cool water?

 

[gringeltaube]

.... wouldn't the axle seals give in to the negative pressure in the axle once dipped in cool water?

In case of different pressure inside/outside that seal is designed to act like a check valve. The greater the (water) pressure from outside (or neg. press. inside because of cooling) the more it's sealing lip is forced against the (polished!) bearing cup edge. I think a healthy seal would be capable of holding many times the pressure equivalent to 6 feet fording depht (3 psi)!

It is more likely that water could enter by the companion flange std. seals. That's why some of us put two seals in each retainer, the outer one with the lip facing outward. Just in case...!

 

[maddawg308]

My -725 has full system vent line vacuum. In other words, all the gearboxes are vented, both axles, the tranny and transfer case, distributor, and all parts of the engine, are sealed and under vacuum, connected to the underside of the air cleaner assembly. Unless the water is 48 inches tall, they stay dry!

 

[Lax]

A real do it your self article that was not toooo technical would be great Cranetruck! I would love to make my M35 deep water fordable but I do not even know where to start looking for the parts, etc. Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[cranetruck]

A real do it your self article that was not toooo technical would be great Cranetruck!.....

Very flattering, I think I spend too much time on this forum, it pre-empties any subject I would previously write about. Since joining this site, I have only written two articles, the biodiesel one and one on vehicle grounding and they were both pretty much done almost two years ago...

Wonder how many MVM pages 4,000 posts are worth.

 

[Lax]

I like the idea of the Jeep vent. Wouldn't it work if i ran the vent tubes from the axles, etc along the bottom of the bed and up to an area near the rear window. I know it is a lot of vent tube but that would put all the vents up real high. Or would it be better to just use the Jeep vents like the pictures above and when underwater the vents do there thing?? Or the last option is to pressurize everything and not worry about it. What do you guys think.

 

[rmgill]

A real do it your self article that was not toooo technical would be great Cranetruck!.....

Very flattering, I think I spend too much time on this forum, it pre-empties any subject I would previously write about. Since joining this site, I have only written two articles, the biodiesel one and one on vehicle grounding and they were both pretty much done almost two years ago...

Wonder how many MVM pages 4,000 posts are worth.

Sounds like you have a bunch of articles written already. You just need to assemble them.