I noticed the Disco releasing an abnormal amount of fluids today so I stuck my head underneath and found a nice oily greasy mess waiting for me:



Where the swivel ball bolts to the axle looks like it's seeping grease from the bottom, and gear oil from everywhere else. My hypothesis here is that the seal in there came loose and has filled my swivel ball with gear oil which is now venting all over the place.

Am I close? I won't be able to pull a wheel for a few days, which is how long the parts will take to get here anyway. I'm gonna order a seal kit and a grease packet and go through all the seals again I guess. Maybe I can diagnose the lean while I'm in there.

 

The swivel ball should be about 1/2 full of grease/oil. This keeps the pivot bearings lubricated on the top and bottom of the swivel ball, and also lubricates the u-joints inside the *****. There is a seal on the ball that keeps things inside, and a seal where the unit bolts to the axle. It could be oil from inside the shock too...

 

I don't think it's the shock, it's a lot of oil, but the passenger's side is looking a little extra droopy. I'm reasonably confident it's the seal where the swivel mounts to the axle.

 

Check the radiator, passengers side lower oil cooler hose. A leak there will spray in that area. As for passenger side droop, that normal and intended in design. Passenger side spring is actually shorter from the factory.

 

Where is the zerk grease fitting located?

 

Since gravity is at play, and it appears in the photo very shiny up above, I would check up higher.

If oil get in the hub, it will usually leak out the swivel ball seal, and that is how they worked before the liquid grease. Yours looks very dry. It will only get pressurized if the breather tube off the top of the axle gets plugged (e.g. melted on the exhaust). If it really is leaking at the flanged joint, then loose bolts would be suspected, that might be simply tightened back up.

 

It does seem to something in the area of the oil cooler. I'm going to degrease everything hopefully tomorrow, and then make a better effort to see exactly where. I hope I don't need another radiator, thankfully I ordered through FCP so I get replacements, but receiving them in useable condition from Fed Ex is another story.

 

check both the O ring that in the fitting and the crimp.

 

no zerk, just a plug to fill and one below it for draining. The grease/oil that goes in there is a special blend to lubricate bearings and cv joint. it comes in a measured pouch for each side. If I recall, it is above and below the bolt that sets the max turning on the back side of the swivel housing (towards the rear of the truck) Has a square head .

 

its on the front of the housing. located about a half an inch down from the abs sensor. square shaped bolt top, cannot miss it, Drain is at bottom front. small hex plug. and if on a 95 there is a 3rd that's a bit above center used for a oil level check. 95 used oil in place of one shot grease. to fill you need to turn wheel facing out to clear the inside ball that will block the port.