# front diff water / sludge



## ChrisEK (Jan 19, 2011)

I know the front diff water problem has been posted lots of time but I have some new problems I'm running into. I have been faithfully changing the diff fluid about every two rides cause it gets water in it. All seals get replaced when they start leaking. And every couple times ill flush it out with diesel.

Now its to the point where I drain it and only alittle oil come out..it will only take about 1/8 quart of oil..its coming out milk white and its now happening after every ride. I assume its all sludged up in there somewhere because it won't even engage 4wd and the actuator is working..but how do I get it out? And how do I help stop it from happening?


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

I usually fill mine with diesel and make 1 or 2 slow laps around the yard just to get the milk to kinda blend with the diesel and it all usually comes right out. One thing I do different though is change the oil after every ride that involved any water at all...that usually keeps it from turning to the thick muck that you are describing. Also, when I changed seals last time I packed them with waterproof grease before installing them, seems to have helped them. You will never completely fix the milk issue without machining the seal surface and upgrading to a better seal, kawi used junky seals.

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## ChrisEK (Jan 19, 2011)

Is there a better seal out there to use? I just been buying the kawasaki ones


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Theres not anything better that I'm aware of, or i'd be using them lol. Your stuck like the rest of us unless you find a different design of seal that would work better and have your housing machined to accept it...but thats alot of time and money.

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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

So basically kawie will have you at their fingertips, with you always buying those cheaply made diff seals:34: I would imagine it being a PITA to get a custom machined seal to directly fit in place of the stock one. If someone were to make one, IMO it would be hit too. Those differential and engine seals are always leaking. Just seen my dad's brute needing a rear engine seal and he doesn't really go above the footrests. That's why I stick to the Clay mud No need to change diff fluid, just gotta know when to call it quits.:rockn:


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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

It looks like because water is heavier then oil, that once you get so deep in water it pushes back through the seals. There is a group of guys testing a two-way check valve that allows a certian OZ of pressure to be maintained on the differencial so that water can't enter through the single-wipe seals and yet when it needs to contract and breath-in..so to speak, it will with no restriction. So far their testing is having positive results. I'll find the link and post it. Makes sense to me. I think the only probalem they were having was that sometimes the diff doesn't heat-up enough to make that 1-OZ pressure or so.


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Hook us up NMK, that'll be next on my mod list for sure. More toys very soon to follow as well.

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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

filthyredneck said:


> Hook us up NMK, that'll be next on my mod list for sure. More toys very soon to follow as well.
> 
> Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk


Will do..and hay, does anyone ever have any water problems with the rear diff/gearcase?


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

Rear holds up extremely well compared to front. never had a leak in it yet and don't hear much on the net of them leaking.


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

^Same here, mine has never gotten water except ONE time when my vent hose had dry rotted from being close to the Muzzy and had a large crack in it. Replaced and rerouted the vent hose and no more problems.


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## browland (Apr 4, 2009)

nmkawierider said:


> Will do..and hay, does anyone ever have any water problems with the rear diff/gearcase?


Well I never had until today ! Boy talk about a mess ! I tore another rear inner boot and on the same side apparently the rear diff seal took a Sht and filled up to the top I guess. Looks like my diff has a yeast infuction lol. It's been draining for an hour and still coming out the fill port and the destroyed seal.


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## oldmanbrute (Apr 15, 2009)

ChrisEK said:


> Now its to the point where I drain it and only alittle oil come out..it will only take about 1/8 quart of oil..its coming out milk white and its now happening after every ride. I assume its all sludged up in there somewhere because it won't even engage 4wd and the actuator is working..but how do I get it out? And how do I help stop it from happening?


This might be totally unrelated:
One time I changed mine hardly any thing came out. I know I filled it up to the top before cause it overfilled. Went to refill it this time and notice then how little it took to fill. Come to find out I had to 'rock it' a little to get it to pass through, (Yes: I was using 10/40 and No: there was no water in it when drained_.... this time)._


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## dman66 (Feb 20, 2011)

*seals*

Front diif gets water occasionally when I go through deep puddles up to mid engine or higher,rear diff doesn't have issues till last Sunday when I left the park break on overnight,on Sunday morn went to ride,and rear breaks took a long time to let loose.I won't do that again...


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## 06BRUTEFORCE (Jun 17, 2010)

Sometimes the rear brakes on my wheeler will get stuck on too, wondering if the cables just need to be lubbed or if its something else.


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## myst3ry (Mar 5, 2011)

06BRUTEFORCE said:


> Sometimes the rear brakes on my wheeler will get stuck on too, wondering if the cables just need to be lubbed or if its something else.


mine also ... cant figure whether its cable or something internal ... 

my rear diff has never leaked ..so ?


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## dman66 (Feb 20, 2011)

*diff*

Yeah, my rear diff has never had any signs of water in it but yet the brakes were stuck.The mechanism at the diff,where the cables actuate the brakes would not move.I said f it,and rode it around to try to warm up the diff.The wheels did turn while the rear breaks were frozen,and after on/off riding for about a mile - the breaks unfrose and worked normal again.I guess I won't use the park break in freezing weather anymore.


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## myst3ry (Mar 5, 2011)

dman66 said:


> Yeah, my rear diff has never had any signs of water in it but yet the brakes were stuck.The mechanism at the diff,where the cables actuate the brakes would not move.I said f it,and rode it around to try to warm up the diff.The wheels did turn while the rear breaks were frozen,and after on/off riding for about a mile - the breaks unfrose and worked normal again.I guess I won't use the park break in freezing weather anymore.


yeah mine also ... i usually do same thing ... but i wonder what the issue is ??:thinking:

any info is greatly appreciated fellow brute owners ( veterans )


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

I found the best way to fill the front diff is to take off the pod cover an d fill through the vent hose useing one of those cone shaped lids you have to cut to get fluid to come out.So you use an old empty quart punch a hole in the bottom and put a screw in it so you can put a half quart in exactly.Then put your vent hose on flip up take screw out and it will fill up perfect.This also works great to flush the diff to


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## JD GREEN (Mar 11, 2010)

I have had the same thing with the rear brakes and found that a i had water and crud in the cable mainly the cable to the foot brake took it off flushed the gunk and water out and lubed with 80w-90 oil and has never acted up again not sure this is everyones problem but it fixed mine and my oil was just fine.


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

brutemike said:


> I found the best way to fill the front diff is to take off the pod cover an d fill through the vent hose useing one of those cone shaped lids you have to cut to get fluid to come out.So you use an old empty quart punch a hole in the bottom and put a screw in it so you can put a half quart in exactly.Then put your vent hose on flip up take screw out and it will fill up perfect.This also works great to flush the diff to


I bought a hose setup from Walmart for less than $5 that fits quart size as well as most gallon size oil jugs, it twists to turn the flow on/off and has about 12" of clear hose on it, easily fills straight from the side of the bike.


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## deadman inc (Jul 2, 2010)

filthyredneck said:


> I bought a hose setup from Walmart for less than $5 that fits quart size as well as most gallon size oil jugs, it twists to turn the flow on/off and has about 12" of clear hose on it, easily fills straight from the side of the bike.


Yep i use the same hose got it from walmart. Works great. Never had any leaks in my rear diff thank goodness. Now he front as everyone else is a different story. Who knows what to do with that.


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

filthyredneck said:


> I bought a hose setup from Walmart for less than $5 that fits quart size as well as most gallon size oil jugs, it twists to turn the flow on/off and has about 12" of clear hose on it, easily fills straight from the side of the bike.


I never really liked filling from the side just seems like it wont take all that it is suppose to hold and when flushing out using the vent hose it will rinse the clutch pack real good I usually flush good with the drain and fill plug before the drive around the yard flush of you know what I mean.


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

> > Originally Posted by filthyredneck<br />
> > I bought a hose setup from Walmart for less than $5 that fits quart size as well as most gallon size oil jugs, it twists to turn the flow on/off and has about 12" of clear hose on it, easily fills straight from the side of the bike.
> 
> 
> ...


I gotcha. I still flush as much as possible before the drive around the yard flush, just dont feel like messin with trying to fill through that vent

-Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


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## carms_2 (Jul 21, 2010)

I usually flush out my diff with a aerosol can of wd-40. It works very well and gets all the milky crap out of the diff. I just run it till it runs clear.

I've heard that the 2012 seals for the front diff are way better. I intent on buying a couple seals to see what the difference is. I also would like to take the original over to a seal and bearing shop to see if I can have the guys there match it up with something a little better.

Its a little to cold up here to try it now but once I get the heat working in the garage ill dig into it.

If anyone comes up with a solution please post as mud and water go hand in hand.


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

filthyredneck said:


> I gotcha. I still flush as much as possible before the drive around the yard flush, just dont feel like messin with trying to fill through that vent
> 
> -Killing Time Using Tapatalk-


What i was thinking was when I pull the diff to do the pin mod I was going to try and make a different hole (bigger) tap it and put a bigger diameter hose on that I can cap off and use for easy fills because this filling up to rinse a few times gets to be a pita for as much as we have to do it.


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## myst3ry (Mar 5, 2011)

brutemike said:


> What i was thinking was when I pull the diff to do the pin mod I was going to try and make a different hole (bigger) tap it and put a bigger diameter hose on that I can cap off and use for easy fills because this filling up to rinse a few times gets to be a pita for as much as we have to do it.


hmm in theory that sounds like an excellent idea ... 

hopefully it works well ...


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