Posted by Paul (in NY) on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at 5:26PM :
In Reply to: Re: Brake Line Question posted by Tom Petroff on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at 5:12PM :
Just an addition to what Tom Shared. The Cap is cripmed onto the end of a hollow 7/16 bolt where there is a groove at the end to accept the crimp. This is a loose crimp so the cap can move and yet not come off. Under the Cap is a spring and a rubber seal. The spring holds the rubber seal against the hole in the bolt. As the differential builds some internal presure due to heat, the rubber seal will be pushed outward against the spring. The presure is released and the seal again closes due to spring force against the hollow bolt. If the cap is full of mud so the relief of internal presure can not be achieved, the seals will leak. If the rubber internal seal is shot, so you dont have a seal, you will see gear lube pushed out from under the cap. Differential breathers are available from NAPA but come with Pipe threads. The one on our Differentials is speical with a 7/16 bolt thread. If I remember right, its fine thread. I rebuild mine by buying a New Breather from NAPA with a 1/8" pipe thread. Remove the cap and take the spring and rubber seal out. Then carefully uncrimp the cap on the Dodge Breather, install the new spring and seal and carefully re-crimp. The old rubber seals develope cracks, ridges and can fail in their job to seal off the hole.
Paul
Paul
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