Rear Axle Vent Hose

[jbowden718]

Hey Guys, I tried doing a search to see if anyone replaced this but no luck.

I've been spending a lot of time under my truck and in the process of draining and refilling my rear axle I noticed my vent hose fell off or basically rotted off. I tried to put it back on but it fell off again since the rubber is so brittle now. I tried to search on the web and find a replacement hose but no one seems to list the dimensions. I'm figuring I could get away with using a piece rubber transmission cooler lines or something. Anyone know the hose dimensions? Thanks in advance

 

[AlexSport'00]

Just go up to autozone or something with your old hose, tell them this is the stretched and rotted out one, and they'll give you something that'll fit tighter. And then grab a small hose clamp to use just to make sure it stays. The hoses they've got are usually pretty good. I replaced a couple small ones. The hose was $1 a foot and I needed a foot and a half so he just gave it to me for a buck, and it was higher quality hose than what Ford had originally used.

 

[jbowden718]

Thanks for the response. I figured I would try that but after checking both Napa and Autozone websites neither has any rubber trans cooler lines or Oil cooler lines in stock. I would have to order them and have them shipped to the store. So I'm basically stuck with having to know what size to order first.

 

[AlexSport'00]

Oh, sorry man. I have no clue. That's odd that neither has it. The guys at mine went to the back and they had rolls and rolls of tubing that they compared mine to. I'd go measure my tube but it broke off also and I haven't replaced it yet.

 

[AlexSport'00]

Go measure the outer diameter of the spot where it hooks to? No clue on the length though.

 

[koda2000]

you don't need anything special for the vent tube. a piece of fuel line or even vacuum line should work fine. it's not like it ever has oil in it, it just breathes. just take a piece of the old one with you for size. probably 5/16 or 3/8's and add a hose clamp.

 

[Maniak]

Ditto, You don't need high pressure fuel or Trans cooler line. Just get some rubber hose (vacuum or old school fuel line) and put a small hose clamp on the end to keep it from falling off as it ages.

For a while, I was running clear tubing from Ace hardware. It worked fine.. I just didn't like how it looked and you can really see it on a lifted truck (nowadays I wouldn't care).

~Mark

 

[deweyville65]

Cut the broken piece off the nipple on the axle and measure the nipple. Probably about 5/16, my guess.

 

[swshawaii]

Use an open ended or adjustable crescent wrench to measure anything round.
Not caliper accurate but close enough for hoses, nipple O.D., sway bars, etc.

 

[koda2000]

Use an open ended or adjustable crescent wrench to measure anything round.
Not caliper accurate but close enough for hoses, nipple O.D., sway bars, etc.

aaahhh, the poor man's caliper trick... i use it myself.

 

[giversgain2k8]

5/16 inch

 

[jbowden718]

5/16 inch

Thanks so much. I went down to Napa got a length of 5/16 tran cooler line and slipped it right on.

 

[~PawPaw~]

I know this thread is a bit old, but I had the same thing happen on my '98 XLT 5.0. I've got the 8.8 LSD and my question is this: Since this was broken off at the nipple, is there anything to be concerned about as far as water entering the axle? I'm just a weekend warrior as far as working on my vehicles, but I've been learning quite a bit from reading threads on this site. (Thanks, guys and gals....) The rear-end is not making any noise. This week I will be changing out the differential oil. Thanks in advance.

 

[koda2000]

i'd get a brass 3/8" NPT nipple from the parts store, drill out the hole (with grease on the drill as to not drop shavings into the diff/axle tube) tap and thread the hole (with an NPT tap) screw the nipple into the axle housing and put a hose on it.

 

[~PawPaw~]

Hey thanks for the reply koda.....
The nipple is still on the axle, and I reconnected the vent hose.
I was just wondering about contamination because I think it has been off of the nipple for awhile. I haven't had to mess with the diff before, and was just curious if there was anything to watch out for when I change the oil.

 

[koda2000]

Hey thanks for the reply koda.....
The nipple is still on the axle, and I reconnected the vent hose.
I was just wondering about contamination because I think it has been off of the nipple for awhile. I haven't had to mess with the diff before, and was just curious if there was anything to watch out for when I change the oil.

if you've been through any deep water w/out the hose it's likely you've gotten some water in the diff. servicing is pretty easy. first make sure you can get the fill plug out, then remove the diff cover to drain it. use black RTV to reseal the cover and fill with good quality gear oil. make sure to add a friction modifier if your truck has a LSD.

 

[~PawPaw~]

if you've been through any deep water w/out the hose it's likely you've gotten some water in the diff. servicing is pretty easy. first make sure you can get the fill plug out, then remove the diff cover to drain it. use black RTV to reseal the cover and fill with good quality gear oil. make sure to add a friction modifier if your truck has a LSD.

Thanks bro.....exactly what I had planned....

Any suggestions on a quality 75W140? I have the "D4" 3.73 LSD.

Can't recall driving through any deep water, but I may have forgotten about it.....