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Leaking Drive Axel Seal
We had a flat on our left hand outer drive axel tire yesterday in our 1996 Prevost Vogue XL 40. I noticed it when I got out at a truck stop after eating lunch. I thought the tire looked flatter than normal from a distance and when I got closer, noticed it was not sealed and totally airless. I called a company to help. When they got it off, they found a metal rod about the size if a pencil stuck in it. They replaced the tire and 5 hours later we were on our way. We drove 3 more hours to our destination in Leander, Texas where while hooking up to shore power I noticed a puddle of oil in the wheel well. Upon further inspection I could see where it had slung oil everywhere. I am now stuck wondering what to do. Is it safe to drive to a shop to have worked on? If so, does anyone know of a place in the Austin, Texas area they would suggest using? Please help.
Blake Hardegree
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12 Replies
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It is not an emergency, however it is a repair that should not be delayed. Continued leaking will ruin the brakes and if enough has leaked the axle bearings can seize.
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Thanks Jon. Is a seal something that can normally be sourced at most truck repair shops or do you think it will be something Prevost specific?
Blake
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Have had Prevost replace my wheel seals and drove it 275 miles to get it done. Of course mine was leaking inside down tire area is how I found it. Wasn’t bad. Wonder if it’s an axle seal, simple fix and tire assembly doesn’t have to come off. Don’t know anybody in this area, 80 miles West of you, to work on it. Might call a Heavy Truck Shop and check. They might do it but it is Saturday and everybody shuts er down around Austin.
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Yeah that’s what I have been running in to(their being closed). Since I don’t know how long it had been leaking, I don’t want to drive too far. I guess I’ll have to deal with it next week when the truck centers open back up. Thanks for your help!
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You have two areas of concern.
The hub seal doesn’t start leaking large amounts at first, so if anything I would get the bus over a pit and get the differential fluid level checked. Better safe than sorry because if it has been leaking a long time and a lot of fluid has been lost the bearings are at risk.
But now that you mention the flat, if you drove on that tire that had low or no pressure in it you need both tires on the drive axle replaced because neither had the correct pressure for the weight carried and both tires may have been damaged beyond repair.
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Blake,
When they took the flat tire off there was no oil leaking at that time? When they removed the wheel cover, was the bracket bolted to the axle? If so, they may have not put the bracket back on correctly or didn’t tighten the bolts causing oil to leak out at the axle gasket. Is there oil on the back side of the inside dual?
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Call Prevost PASS
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Blake
the seal should be an in stock part for a truck repair center. if your oil level is still good to go Prevost Houston could help, but better would be any truck dealedship, local to you
We are on the road but if we can help in anyway call me 806-828-4138
Good luck
Glenn
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Jon,
I was thinking the same thing, specific to the other tire. I think I have a good truck center pretty close by so will run it by to have the level checked as well as deal with the leak issue.
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We really lack information so a lot of what we all are suggesting covers a lot of potential issues.
But here are some general statements. If you run a tire at a pressure lower than what is required by 20% (based on load / pressure charts) at the very least it has to be examined carefully before returning for service. Running at a low pressure damages and breaks the steel cords and subjects the tire to a sudden catastrophic failure potential. The second tire ends up carrying more weight than its pressure allows as the first tire loses pressure and while it may retain air it may also have been damaged. If all the air pressure loss was while the coach was stationary the second tire will not be damaged.
There are two possible places for differential fluid to leak. One is at the inner seal at the rear of the hub. This leak usually starts out small and is often noticed as streaks of oil at the inside sidewall of the tire(s) and then as radial streaks on the outside visible portion of the wheel. As it gets to be a larger leak it accumulates inside the wheel offset on the inner drive wheel and then shows as oil slung all over the wheel well.
The second possible leak is at the outer gasket sealing the axle to the hub face. If this has been leak free, changing a tire is unlikely to cause it to leak. Some hub caps have brackets that are secured under the nuts holding the axle to the hub, but even if they are removed so the tire can be changed it is unlikely that will cause a leak, but possible. If that is where the leak is originating from it is an easy fix that just requires the axle to be popped out, a new gasket installed and the axle to be bolted back in. Less than 1/2 hour compared to about 2 hours to replace a hub seal.
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Tom,
Yes, there was no leak when they took the flat tire off and yes the cover was attached to the axle with three bolts. I will look and see if there is oil on the inside but my guess is yes due to seeing how it slung oil up into the well well area. I noticed oil spattered on the drivers side of my toad as well.
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Glenn,
I’ll probably be forced to stay in the Austin area to get the work done. The wife and I are on a business trip and we’re needing to return to Lubbock by Thursday/Friday. Good to know another Prevost owner lives so close by!
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