Thread: Any idea what this is from???

Changed my LCA's and had hard time getting the passenger BJ out. got proper tool and was done in 10 mins. Anyways... next day (yesterday) I go back in to flip the sway bar cause I've got rubbing/hitting downpipe issue and I notice this stuff.

Is it grease from the axle? Anti-freeze mixing with other oil laying around?

When I was under car I did notice some wetness on bottom, there's some on top too which I suppose is LIM gaskets that'll be replaced soon. But I'm worried that I damaged seal on axel/cv? Looking for thoughts...

TIA for your thoughts/help

That could be axle grease. Check your axle boots for leaks.

You need a new axle, wont be long befor it will start clicking and poping around turns, with have no grease in it.

Omg... now I'm freaking out!!!

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, the substance, now grease I would agree, must be from the axle. I was moving it around alot trying to break the ball joint free when I did the LCA cause in all my preparation, I didn't think nothing about the separator tool, lol, and the passenger side sucker wasn't budging, it was past midnight so I might've got a little aggressive...

So my thoughts are maybe I separated the boot from the axle allowing the grease to come out, not cool.

I will search some and see if there are any threads on this, I appreciate your thoughts everyone, thanks!
(if you have any links it's helpful)

from the looks of the picture, it was already ripped and had slung it out while you have been driving it.

If you decide to replace the whole axle, be careful when you pop it out of the transmission, you dont want to ruin the output shaft seal. The most common thing to happen is the spring on the seal, which is on the inside, will pop off and you wont be able to get it back on. A new seal is like 10 bucks though but they are a pain to get out and put back in.

Check the boot for seperation or tears with ur fingers. It may be old grease from a previous bad axle. I had the same thing on mine and my axles were fine, the person that had it before me never cleaned up their mess....but I did. :-/

Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch

from the looks of the picture, it was already ripped and had slung it out while you have been driving it.

If you decide to replace the whole axle, be careful when you pop it out of the transmission, you dont want to ruin the output shaft seal. The most common thing to happen is the spring on the seal, which is on the inside, will pop off and you wont be able to get it back on. A new seal is like 10 bucks though but they are a pain to get out and put back in.

Trying not to stray off topic.....but. Cam..how are you taking the axle out that you involve the seal spring? I take the outter end of the axle out of the wheel bearing then crawl under the car and hit the inside CV cup toward the outside of the car with one or two hits..it's out. I haven't damaged a seal doing it that way. And.. FWIW a 2.5" MPS pulley is perfect for installation of that seal.

Thanks a million and keep the thoughts coming, can't tell you how much I've learned here, you're all amazing and I appreciate it.

So I'm thinking, being it's not so long it's been like that, a boot change and re-grease will be ok?

I've read that the replacement axle's aren't so hot, or reliable and if I'm wrong with changing the boot then I just wasted $20... lol. But, if I were to change the axle's, which are best? I know there are Stage2 axle's but I'm not racing the car, so that's an unnecessary expense. Is there any name brand better than others though?

Motor & Trans mounts? How do you know they are bad? again, which are best, solid, or oem?

Thanks all!

Just from experience, ur alot better off replacing the axle than just the boot. The clamps on the boots are a pita to put back on and usually don't stay. It'd be less frustrating just to do it the right way rather than putting band aids over bullet wounds.

Originally Posted by twol8uluz

Just from experience, ur alot better off replacing the axle than just the boot. The clamps on the boots are a pita to put back on and usually don't stay. It'd be less frustrating just to do it the right way rather than putting band aids over bullet wounds.

Lol, I'm hearing you... and think I will just change them, you've all convinced me it's better move.
I'm just thick as **** when it comes to this stuff. Wanna do the right thing (lots of questions), thanks!

Originally Posted by Pure2sin

^^^^^ This is one of the main reasons. IF you are really concerned about getting replacements get the Wbody store replacements that "Claim" they only use GM cores. I personally went with the Cardone Select axles that are brand new not remaned. They are the same axles that NAPA rebrands and sells for a lot more. I know of a local guy who has them on his car that runs in the 12s and they have not failed him yet on multiple track runs. The only car I heard that had trouble with them was JonBobs car on the other forum but he is putting down way more HP than most anyone would put to a stock axle.

I need to get some of those grease-able sway bar bushings. Where are those from again?

I will look into these, thanks and yeah I had seen the Wbody Axle's, small mark up over what I've seen online, so maybe I'll just get those then, save the old axle, just in case I'm not happy, then I'll be able to go backwards and repack the old one, lmao.

Energy Suspension has the greasable brackets/bushings... be careful though and use their site for the part# matching the size to your bar. The fronts really don't leave much meat on the bushings and there are no groves/hole that allows grease to the inside where bar meets bushing as I've seen on some of their stuff, but it's still better than nothing, lol.

Thanks again for all your input!