10" drum rear

[Lewis]

Hello all,

I have a 73 Dodge Charger and it was parked on my drive it's quite steep, I started it up let it warm up decided to check the transmission fluid level so I popped it in neutral and all of a sudden the car shot halfway down the drive I managed to slam the brakes on popped it back in park, turns out both rear drums don't work?!! So I removed the wheels and drum and straight away I saw green grease everywhere on the shoes drum it was everywhere did more investigating and it turns out the seal for the axle wasn't in just hanging there it was recently replaced so I'm assuming the person who fitted it didn't pop the seal in as I can't see how it could have come out after a couple miles, long story short my question is whys the grease green when my axle fluid isn't? Does that mean it's not a tapered bearing and it's a new "green bearing" type of so can I repack it with green grease and pop the seal on? Because I'm sure the tapered bearings use the axle fluid as lubricant? If anybody can assist me in what's going on I would really appreciate it

Thanks
Lewis

[b5blue]

No tapered bearings are greased. Green bearings are sealed units. The green you see could be brake fluid?

[Lewis]

Okay I understand, just confused as there was a black rubber ring loose and green grease coming out of where it should be, I pressed in the rubber ring and cleaned it up, it's not brake fluid as it's jut round near the bearing I don't have a photo to show but it wasn't dirty grease it was a nice green colour and quite thick, I'm just really confused as my axle fluid isn't green so I'm thinking the sealed green bearing isn't as sealed as it should be?

[b5blue]

A "Green bearing" is attached to a plate that bolts to the axle, same on both sides. Factory will have an adjuster one side that looks nothing like the other side. Is this an 8 3/4 axle?

[Lewis]

Okay thanks for explaining it looks the same on both sides, and yes 8 3/4

[b5blue]

Okay, you can unbolt and slide the 1/2 shaft out to seat the seal if needed. (Just don't rotate anything and it will slide back in.)  Someone may have thought it needed to be packed with grease?

[Lewis]

That's great I'll do that, yeah true that's probably why it's everywhere! Thanks for the help really appreciate it! Also if I do unbolt and pull the chart will axle fluid go everywhere?

[b5blue]

You mean the "Chunk"....yea it all runs out. If you have Tru Trac ya gotta be careful. Rotate anything and crap falls out of alignment in the chunk. (It's also called a "pig".) Best to talk to someone more knowledgeable then I though. 

[Lewis]

Okay, I'm in the uk so there's not somebody round the corner that can have a look!

[b5blue]

Best is to ask specific questions here. There are many VERY qualified members of great help.   

[Lewis]

Yeah I've learnt so much on this forum everybody has been great

[71 SE3834V]

On our 2500/3500 trucks w/the Dana 60 axles it was standard procedure to put some grease on the bearings to give it some initial lube before the fluid reached it. Maybe somebody did that. I've also seen grease put on the seal for lube as opposed to oil. Actually when the dealer did some warranty work on my Dakota they greased the seals ( I checked their work ).

[Lewis]

Ah okay, possibly what it is then, thank you for the help, I feel relaxed now haha thought something terrible had gone wrong

[AKcharger]

Hi Lewis

It sounds like OLD congealed gear lube. If they changed the bearing that means:
1) the old bearing was bad and fluid leaked out
2) They failed to properly installed the new bearing/seal and fluid leaked out

Rule #1 when dealing with these cars, NEVER underestimate the ability of people to screw these cars up over the past 45 years you never know what you'll find

[Lewis]

Okay thank you for the reply, judging by the mess and where the lube is I've got a feeling they haven't installed them properly, for peace of mind I think I'm going to replace them that way I know everything is safe and sound