Sufferer of the Warn 9" Full floating kit...

[benkokes]

Hey all,

I am on of the many that are suffering from Warn's full floating kit leakage. From the posts, I gathered that the only solution was to install the drive flange.

Well, calls to: Warn, Randys Ring and Pinion, and various other Warn authorized distributors have netted me the same answer. "There is no problem sir, besides, that kit has been obsoleted". Very convinient, since they knew it had a significnat design flaw about 6 months from releasing the kit.

At any rate, I need to either 1) Obtain better seals, or 2) Find a drive flange. can anyone out there in Broncoland help?

Thanks!
-Ben

 

[00gyrhed]

I saw a home made full floated that didn't leak. He used D44 front spindleshad a seal surfact on the shaft right where it went into the spindle and then had the needle bearings left in place that would have been in the spindle. Used the weak D44 locking hubs though.

I once looked into this conversion and still have everything in my barn to make a floating 9 in with D44 spindles and hubs. I wasn't really impressed with oil control even with what I described above. Best way in to insall the inner seals at the carrier bearings like a front wheel drive axle.

I just love it when a company sells a product then discontinues it and then acts like its not thier problem anymore because they don't make it anymore. I would pack the outer wheel bearings with grease and try to incorporate even a poor seal into the spindle. When they start seeping repack.

One last thing, I think I read once that someone had machined an o ring groove into the lock hub. If I rember it made it impossible to turn by hand and the rest of the hube had to be sealed up with silicone.

 

[Oatmeal]

I run mine without the inner spindle seal and let the bearings run in gear lube (like a 3/4 or 1 ton truck) and haven't had any real problems with it leaking. I like doing it this way because it pretty much makes the bearings maintenance free but: http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169030&highlight=Warn+drive+flanges -----------Hans

 

[jpopsbronco]

I have the same kit and you may have seen a few of my posts... I have warns drive flanges(slugs) and that really doesn't help the problem. The best thing you can try is new seals and lots of grease. Typically though, most leaks are because of tweaked housings and axles. It is possible to have a bent axle in a free floater. I you look at your axle and see one part is real shiny and spin it 180* and its not as shiny you probably have a tweaked axle. Not as common as bent housing but much easier to check. How much are you leaking and from both sides or just one? Are you over filling your housing?

 

[benkokes]

Well, the fear is that the housing is bent. So I am fully preparing to pull out the sucker, take it down to the axle guys and have it straightened. At the same time, I'll have some trusses welded on the bottom side, as the top side has no room because of the sway bar.
(of course, if you have any suggestion for axle trusses, I am all ears!!)

It definitely leaks a bit, all over the tires if it sits for longer than a day or two. I will check the level tomorrow and report back.

Have you found any seals that are a bit heavier-duty?

Thanks!

 

[dredgenot]

I ditched the hubs right away because they leaked like crazy. I put on flanges and haven't had a problem since and it's been 8 years. I do have an extra set of flanges if you are interested.

 

[benkokes]

Hi Dredgenot,
Yes, I am interested in the flanges. When you get a chance, please PM me with more detail.
Thanks!

 

[Bronchole]

A buddy of mine got sucked in to the Warn full floater 9" kit when he was building a 9" for his 6000Lb Wylis(sp?) wagon. That thing has always leaked. Several years ago he got someone at Warn to send him some replacment seals and some speedy sleeves, but that only slowed the flow. His next step is to install some Dana 60 rear housing ends and hubs on to his housing. Then make a pair of axles to work with that.

Seems like allot of work when you could just go with 35 spline semi-float axles and be pretty bullit proof. Hell, I haven't even had any problems with my 31 spline axles. Sorry, I know, off the subject.

 

[bludorbronc]

if it is leaking out of the lockout, take it off and you can get an o-ring twice the thickness as the big o-ring, pull it apart and do the same for the twisting part in the center, for the lockout bolts throw the rubber o-rings away and put good silicone sealer on them and screw them in and let sit over nite. woeks good for me.

 

[benkokes]

Bludorbronc, After you sealed them, you never had any issue? how difficult was it getting things back together again when you had the larger o-rings?

Bronchole - You wouldn't happen to have #'s off of the replacement seals, would you?

 

[bludorbronc]

i dont remember having any trouble,the larger outer one just sits there and you tighten the lockout bolts down,the inner one apply grease and spin it into place.

 

[Bronchole]

Bronchole - You wouldn't happen to have #'s off of the replacement seals, would you?

Na, they are installed.

 

[bludorbronc]

any good bearing house should be able to look at what you have and go from there.

 

[Oatmeal]

Found this write up: http://www.earlycj5.com/technical/axles/warn-ff-d44-2-axle-install/ there are some seal part numbers at the bottom of the page.---------Hans