axle vent ?

[RMS]

a common upgrade i see on 4x4s is replacing the stock vent on the axles with a hose fitting and running a axle vent tube to the frame or to the air cleaner.

how practical would it be to run the axle vent lines to the high presser side of the fording valve. what im thinking is when the valve is closed the axles get pressurized reducing the chance of contaminating the oil. with the valve open the gasses from the diffs would get sucked out and burnt

will this work or will i blow out the seals

[52 M-42]

The only time I ever messed with the vents for the third members (I used a tube to raise the vent) I ended up just blowing out seals . If you find a way to raise the level of those vents without blowing out the seals I'd be very interested in learning the details of how to do it.

Thanks,

52 M-42

[RMS]

im surprised that raising the vent caused seal problems. some new 4x4s have vents going to the frame from the factory.
but i guess no new vehicles produce heat in the diffs like the 37 with its 5.83s

[52 M-42]

Maybe my tube wasn't big enough. Maybe it was kinked (I used plastic). Maybe it got plugged with lube going up the tube and collecting dust and plugging or restricting the tube.

I just don't know. I got tired of changing gaskets and figured the engineers knew more about this stuff than I did, and left it.

It sure would be nice to get the breathers up higher though.

So, if you figure out something that works, please let us all know. I know I'd sure appreciate it.

52 M-42

[Monkey Man]

Vents on your drivetrain are best fitted to the outer part of the aircleaner body, the light vacuum keeps any fumes at bay and stops pressure buildup like any other vent, the light vacuum will not draw water and contaminants into your diff/transfer case, if they take water it's the result of a bad seal or excess vacuum as you have it connected to the base of the carby (saw a bloke do this, he knew what he was doing of course and nobody could tell him any better until he had a nasty strip and clean job on both diffs as a result but hey what would the rest of us know??). Vent tubing can be made from fuel line, vacuum line or any other rugged hose that has the same id as the od on your vent fitting on the diff and transfer case and should be run in gentle curves to eliminate kinking and kept away from moving parts as to prevent chafing or pinching. If you intend on fording your truck and getting into some serious offroad it's a great idea, if it's a trailer queen or basically used for parade then don't bother.....or do you, you have a top notch 4WD truck that is very useful indeed if an emergency or disaster occurs, it's a great idea for any M37, do it if you get a chance...

MM

[52 M-42]

Thank you MM! It is something I'll look at doing next year, as the list of "need to do" is pretty long right now. I've always wanted to improve the diff, trans and transfer vent systems. It's great most of the time, but when conditions aren't ideal, then the work later is not something I look forward to.

Would a couple of the fittings used in the carb/air filter elbow by the distributor help to promote a slight vacuum for the diffs and gear boxes? Also would the carb/air filter elbow be the best place to tap into the vacuum system? If so, where would the best spot be on the elbow?

Any insight or suggestions you could give me would be greatly appreciated!

BTW, are we ever going to get to see more pictures of your truck? I especially liked the pictures of your truck from your son & daughter's viewpoint.

52 M-42

[RMS]

no trailer queen here. i have yet to wire in a trailer plug and its pretty sketchy towing any thing with the 37 because of its single line brake system
its not often that i find a ford that comes past the hubs, but i do go out looking for deep water. im often sketched out by the thoughts that run through my head when submerging a hot diff in a glacier fed stream . i can see the rapid cooling creating a vacuum that sucks in ounces of sand and mud filled water. contaminating the oil and washing away the grease in the knuckles pitting bearings and races and it goes on till i stop and pull the drain plug to see if my fears have been realized.

thanks MM for confirming my first thought that low vacuum from the air cleaner is the best way to go.
its just that i love the way the fording circuit works. now there is high vacuum at the carb base, but doesn't the douglas valve limit the amount of vacuum? .......hu......granted if vacuum is regulated down to a usable level by the douglas valve. I guess there would be too much pressure created when the fording valve was closed, because unlike the motor with its cross over pipe from the filler neck to the air cleaner elbow, there would be no way to release any excess pressure in the diffs besides blowing out the seals.
i like how ideas get hammered out by posting

[RMS]

BTW, are we ever going to get to see more pictures of your truck? I especially liked the pictures of your truck from your son & daughter's viewpoint.

52 M-42

seconded more pic's! more pic's!

[Monkey Man]

BTW, are we ever going to get to see more pictures of your truck? I especially liked the pictures of your truck from your son & daughter's viewpoint.

52 M-42

seconded more pic's! more pic's!

I have to get the truck out today to find out why the vacuum brake booster has failed, I had better get the camera out or there is going to be a lynching huh??

MM

[52 M-42]

No lynching, but the the harassment will continue until you post them.

Your choice, of course!

52 M-42