Nissan Titan Forum banner

Rear axle seals leaks. Please report.

268540 Views 820 Replies 373 Participants Last post by  Bran5576
Anyone who has had the rear axle seals please report the the National Highway Safety Web Site. Mine leaked so bad I was getting some rear diff oil on the rear brakes. This has become a safety issue and needs to be addressed.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
801 - 820 of 821 Posts
I have a 2007 Titan LE 4x4 CC with Tow Pkg but Not E-Locker. Build date is 03/'07. From my (extensive) reading on this subject - I think there were axle changes made beginning 04/'07 - meaning model year '08 I guess ?. There is a ton of info out there regarding replacing the differential with a Detroit TruTrac and even a decent amount regarding the different axle lengths on the E-locker set-ups etc. What is not covered nearly as much is the bearings and seals being a different diameter. The 08 and up have a larger diameter and will NOT FIT into an 04-07 axle housing. The diff end is the same diameter and has the same splines and the length (non E-lock) but the wheel end is different and will not work.
So there seem to be Dana Spicer rear axle assemblies for these that might help solve the problem since they come assembled from Dana with the bearings and seals pressed on, and even including new backing/bolt plates and ABS sprockets. Pull old axle - install complete new unit. Costs more but should be less labor intensive, and should be more reliable. This seems like the best option for Nissan (and even Dana in this case ) to make sure there is at least a good, cost-effective repair option for BOTH types of axles and housings. There would be much less complaining about this very pervasive issue if these options were readily available. The problem is that they aren't. I find it hard to believe that this is so difficult and that I continuously hear things like "well that truck is 9 years old" and "well the titan never sold as good as they wanted it to anyway". This is ludicrous. Heck I just ordered some parts for a 1937 Nash Ambassador.
The part numbers should be
2005994-1 for '08 + and 84776-1 for '04-'07 (these are without E-lock but I'm sure they are out there in the different L/R lengths too for the E-locks)
BUT... the problem is finding them ( and at a decent price ). Dana/Spicer needs to significantly increase the availability of these and Nissan needs to assist them in that effort. This would solve a lot of problems prior to $3K rear end swaps/mods.
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 1
MadMark I can relate. I just blew my second axle. I was on the road and 750miles from home. The newer 08 axles are better than the 1st gen but not ideal. I think mine was a faulty rebuild as the ring gear bolts had backed out (see picture). The Currie Dana 60 set up for Titan would be my choice to change to if I didn't have to have it done that day away from home.

Attachments

See less See more
Not really, the replacement is pretty straightforward. Remove the axle, cut off the bearing, replace seal, press on new bearing, install axle. $262 seems like a pretty fair price. Took me a couple of hours.

If you haven't done it already go ahead and do the Cajun axle vent mod. Will help to keep it from blowing seals in the future. Sometimes if there is a small leak it will actually stop leaking after you install the mod. Jeff is a regular on here (and a great guy) or you can go to his website at cajunbpipes.com.
Not trying to take away from Jeff at Cajun B-pipes, he has fantastic products, but the axle vent mod can be done for about $10.00. I used the Toyota union p/n 90404-51026 some fuel hose and clamps I had around from other projects and a cheap small engine fuel filter and zip ties...easy. I did end up having to buy a tap, since the threads from the stock axle vent were all goobered. The tap that worked for my titan was 10mm-1.0, an exact fit.

There is a Nissan union that you can get from the dealership also, but its more expensive. I can 't recall the p/n but it was quoted around $10. The Toyota union was $4.some change. Would recommend this mod to anyone, those with and without seal problems.
Rear driver side leak at 128K, found that the axle cage nuts were not all that tight, less than 87ftpds for sure. After tightening them the leak got better but now appears to be worse. Just did vent mod.
2006 SE CC 2wd Big Tow 2nd owner.

Does anyone know what month Nissan started putting the 4 spider gear setup in the 2006 models? Mine was built 02/06 per the door sticker.

Thanks.
I replaced my driver side axle seal myself back around 2012. I have a 2006 2wd. truck doesnt get driven much, 90k miles total, almost 12 years old.

I installed axle vent mod sometime last year and a couple months ago noticed both sides are now leaking, as well as the pinion seal!

Checked fluid, took 20 ounces to fill.

Not sure where to go now. The truck got stuck in some loose gravel recently and a passerby in an older land rover pulled me out. The high torque engine with no posi trac, in loose gravel was a bad combination.

So i would love to install the detroit true trac, but with all the leaks, Im hesitant.

Anybody make a improved aftermarket rear diff / axle assembly for these titans yet? You could get your true trac, change gear ratios if desired, and solve all your leak issues with one swap out of the complete assembly.
See less See more
Have a quick question will a Dana Spicer 2005994-1 - Rear Axle Shaft fit in my 2009 se 4x4 I don't have the e-lock.
Just referencing check as i don't want to order the wrong one.

Ordered it anyways*
Did this part work. I will probably order it but wondering what you found.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
Currie Enterprises offers exactly what I was describing above. Anybody use one?

http://www.currieenterprises.com/FitmentCatalog/FitmentSearch?categoryid=5297
Currie Enterprises offers exactly what I was describing above. Anybody use one?

http://www.currieenterprises.com/FitmentCatalog/FitmentSearch?categoryid=5297


From what I hear it is about $1000 more than their listed price for a complete axle plus shipping. Way I would build it would be $4000.

Most cost effective alternative is using your Titan axle tubes and shafts on a DANA 60 center housing with a 32 spline D60 differential. Not a lot of options for lockers etc on that setup though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Like
Reactions: 1
From what I hear it is about $1000 more than their listed price for a complete axle plus shipping. Way I would build it would be $4000.

Most cost effective alternative is using your Titan axle tubes and shafts on a DANA 60 center housing with a 32 spline D60 differential. Not a lot of options for lockers etc on that setup though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
arent the oem axles 28 spline?
No, they are 32 for all years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
From what I hear it is about $1000 more than their listed price for a complete axle plus shipping. Way I would build it would be $4000.

Most cost effective alternative is using your Titan axle tubes and shafts on a DANA 60 center housing with a 32 spline D60 differential. Not a lot of options for lockers etc on that setup though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
would this not retain the crappy seals and bearings of the original axle tubes?
would this not retain the crappy seals and bearings of the original axle tubes?


You would not want to use tubes from 2004-2007 Titans. They also usually add some type of truss or bracing. The seals really aren't the issue so much as the overall axle being not strong enough. The seals are more where they show the problem. Keeping water out is best prevention. Larger oil capacity would allow it to run cooler. Dana 60 has stronger housing and larger gear set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I purchased my XE Crew Cab 2WD Titan new in January of 2005. My truck has less than 54,000 original miles. My rear left axle seals went out at about 53,000 miles. I contacted Nissan to see if they would make ANY consideration with assistance with this repair being that it is under 60K. They would not as it past the 5 year power train warranty. Is there anyone with similar experience?
huh? has anybody been denied warranty because its out of warranty? Yes. Everybody who is out of warranty is denied warranty.

I would suggest you dont mess with it if its not leaking badly. I have an 06 with low miles. I resealed the driver side 5 years ago, and just recently noticed both sides are now leaking, as well as the pinion seal. I just topped off the rear oil level (it was a good 20 ounces low) and decided ill check it every few months and see how much im losing. The truck sits most of the time unless i'm using it for work or hauling.

I did the rear axle vent mod, dont bother, it does nothing to help. The axle seal job is fairly difficult as the old bearing has to be cut off the axle and a new one pressed on. But since its going to leak again anyway, more than likely, its probably not worth doing
See less See more
The axle vent design is complete crap.
It either rusts or clogs with dirt, causing a pressure build up from heat forcing fluid out of the seals.
My buddy had bought a new Titan in 2004 (now mine) and had seals leaking at 25K, replaced the seals & vent and the seals leaked again at 35K.
We installed a remote vent, but not the seals and not had a problem ever since, now 15 years old and 170K.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Considering very many have axle seals leak when their vent isn't dirty or clogged, that's about what its worth, 2 cents.
The best insurance against leaking seals is changing the vent to one of the remote vents as outlined in the axle vent mod. It's not foolproof, as seal sometimes leak regardless. It happens with all brands, and has since the invention of the automobile. But if you don't change out the vent, you're running a far higher likelihood of ruining your seals.
You don’t have to be a **** about it.
Considering very many have axle seals leak when their vent isn't dirty or clogged, that's about what its worth, 2 cents.
You don’t have to be a **** about it.
Sorry, just tired of everyone claiming the axle vent seal is the cure for cancer....it is not. Many with the vent mod are leaking just like they always have, which would make sense, as in my case, my vent was never clogged to begin with. I believe its more gimmicky than anything and most who have axle leaks was never due to that vent being clogged in the first place.
801 - 820 of 821 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top