IM not sure what you mean by wheel bearings. I consider the wheel bearings the two cup bearings inside the wheel hub assembly. These are not lubricated by diff oil, just grease.


Diff oil lubricates the pinion gears, pinion bearings, and pinion yoke. You can very easily burn up the pinion bearings if you run without oil and throw your yoke out causing damage to your transfer case. It is possible I suppose that you could melt your ourput seals and heat up your inner axle to a point where it could cause damage to your wheel hub, but it would have to get very hot.

 

IM not sure what you mean by wheel bearings. I consider the wheel bearings the two cup bearings inside the wheel hub assembly. These are not lubricated by diff oil, just grease.

Diff oil lubricates the pinion gears, pinion bearings, and pinion yoke. You can very easily burn up the pinion bearings if you run without oil and throw your yoke out causing damage to your transfer case. It is possible I suppose that you could melt your ourput seals and heat up your inner axle to a point where it could cause damage to your wheel hub, but it would have to get very hot.

The diff oil lubricates the pinion and carrier bearings as well as the contact surfaces of the ring and pinion gears. If you saw the picture of the damage in Don's other thread you would see he's not too worried about anything inside the center section being damaged further....

Don, nothing to worry about but make sure the hubs are actually disengaged. The carrier was busted in half, correct? If so, and the hubs somehow were engaged, you could damage the axle shafts with nothing inside the diff supporting the ends.

 

jack up one side at a time and rotate the tire while watching the U-joint. If it doesn't rotate, they're unlocked.

I would drive mine in the manner you describe, I would be wary of the slightest noise from the front though.

If I were going to be DDing it, I'd probably pull the front axle shafts, and the drive shaft.

Bill

 

I second lucdog...

 

I ran mine for a few weeks with the hubs unlocked, the ring and pinion busted to pieces, and every drop of oil drained out because the inner seal tore apart when I busted the R&P. With the hubs unlocked, and it in 2 wd, nothing up there will be turning. :cheers2:

 

I second lucdog...

There's a law that applies here. Murphy's!
.

 

Your wheel bearings are all out in the hub. They are greased, not oiled. You just need to be sure the hubs are unlocked and it is in 2 wheel drive and you should have no issues.

 

There's a law that applies here. Murphy's! .

Now you did it ... You said his name, so he's listening now!! It's only a matter of time....

 

Ha ha , thats funny. Thanks for the info guys. I will be comfortable to run around town now in 2 wheel drive. It will be a mall crawler.

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