Hello everyone: I have a question. There's a trade school project where I need to identify what is causing oil to be dripping out of the back wheels of a 1998 Western Star 4964EX Highway truck. For some context the truck has 405, 500 km of travel and engine hours of 6, 321. What advice can you share on what could be causing it, how to fix it and where I could go for more information? Unfortunately I have encountered challenges finding this information myself so if anybody has pointers that would be wonderful. Thank you.
Most likely the wheel seals are leaking.
Axle seals If Both are leaking either overheated brakes cooked seals or the axle housing vent is absolutely choked with crud Or the optional just been forever since off and seals worn out
Wheel seals or axle gasket...or unlikely broken /cracked case. Also seen tandem hub nut back off so bad that it started to leak from behind
Check the vent and the oil level first so you don't get a D.
Actually that would be an f lol
B for effort, F for diagnosis?
If the vent was plugged ...that would be simpliest
You guys all cheated your way through school, and now are helping someone else with their home work assignment. He tried Google and wikipedia, and neither cover old trucks and their various illnesses, and here you've given him 108 years of experience with no skinned knuckles or sore back muscles to show for it. Detention for everyone!
I got a sore back reading it.
Aren't you supposed to be paddling back to shore on a ice floe after being the last one in a fishing shack? It's the paddling that's worn you out. He didn't even give us the VIN or serial number. I can't get any kind of a diagnosis, let alone even think about a parts man thinking about it without a VIN. If he was at orielly's, they'd want to know if it was two wheel drive or four wheel drive, two door or four door, because that's what they've got for blanks on the screen.
Sometimes the paint color helps too.
A week ago Saturday we fished Island Lake near Northome, MN. Still 30 inches of solid clear ice. Fishing sucked. Every year our MN Chapter of Antique Caterpillar Machine Owners Club has a meeting at the Alexandrea, MN vocational school. They have a very highly rated diesel mechanic school at that campus. At our meeting there last spring we were told that over 70% of the "mechanic,want to be's" have any basic mechanical knowledge when they come in. Over half have no clue even how to check oil. They start from scratch with the students from the very basics. The first semester drop out rate is about 70 percent. Most had seen a (great money, good career, diesel mechanic) add on TV and did not realize there was work involved. That being said they have turned out some great mechanics from the ones that people not are are not afraid of work and study, going from nothing to being top mechanics.
It was 73 here today, supposed to be 83 on wednesday. I was looking for a little ice to put in my glass. And I passed three signs today - all advertising top pay for truck and trailer "technicians". What's a trailer technician? Does it make it a better paying job if they call it "technician"? I respect the guys today that put in the work to understand the electronics and emissions that these new trucks are coming out with. I'm amazed at what the good ones understand.
Unfortunately I was not given a VIN or serial number for this assignment. It is completely hypothetical.
Have to laugh at "Technician" signs too, was a 'Mechanic', when got to the Nuke became a Equipment 'Operator' they later changed that to Ops Tech, still was a Equipment Operator with all the old hands. Knew guys that could work trailers, usually good at decals and rivet guns patching side grinds or roof peels many could not fix electrical nor refrigeration units!! How many remember outer axle seals, grease packed? I know of TWO still running those old Eaton Axles(Fords), farm trucks now but line equipment in the Day.
One possibility that was left out-Third member was changed and axle tubes were never cleaned, metal took out bearings and seals.
Did I miss it did someone mention a cracked weld in the housing?
OMG we have ALL seen so much and SO MANY failures!!!
If the OP gives the instructor any one of the many ideas expressed and does not give credit to the OP then the OP should give us the instructors email address and we should all tell him what we think of his teaching abilities! Just went back through the thread and no one mentioned "Fred screwed up when he worked on it and forgot to adjust the bearings" At the shop we had a guy named Fred and for years after he left we still always said "Fred screwed it up", no matter if the machine was built after Fred left! I have a feeling that now that has been replaced with "Ken"!
HAHAHAHA!! Ours was Tom! Then Randall!
Had a Kenworth dump truck come into the shop last fall with 4 leaking wheel seals that "their ex guy" had done earlier. He had jammed Scotseals over Stemco wear sleeves. Nice. Oh, he was a chisel master on the spindle nuts too.
Cough, cough................ I will admit to having used a flat punch on the side of the nut in the field. Not a chisel, but yes, a hammer and a big flat punch on the side of the nut and then a channellock on the sucker to pull it off. I don't carry every size axle nut socket in my cardboard box, but a punch and a 4lb hammer are usually available. Any port in a storm. Sorry to the professionals. He just thought that was a speedi sleeve to take up the wear. The worst one I pulled apart was a steer axle on a old tms 375 that had been welded back together just past the seal, at one time in the past. I was just working for that company- it wasn't one of mine, and it got shoved back together over my protests. As far as I know, its still running today.
I'll be sure to give you all credit and my instructors are good educators but they also encouraged me and my classmates to do our own research and utilize resources such as this website. I also want to thank everyone who has posted thus far for their information and suggestions. It is really helpful.
How come no one mentioned the apprentice that got carried away greasing the S-cams. Gets hot, turns to liquid, smokes and stinks? Especially these new synthetic blend lubes.
Almost forgot we did have a Tom at one time!