# Leaking gear oil from hub 73' sportsman

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [September 26, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611 "2010-09-26T14:52:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![metal249](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@metal249](https://community.cartalk.com/u/metal249)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611/1 "2010-09-26T14:52:22Z")

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Just picked up a 1973 Dodge sportsman RV and there is gear oil leaking from the driver side hub(around the drum). I’m pretty sure this is just a bearing/bushing on the end of the axle, question is, what is this bearing/bushing called and is it easy to replace?

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**Author:** ![metal249](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@metal249](https://community.cartalk.com/u/metal249)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611/2 "2010-09-26T14:56:15Z")

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Also, it has a dually rear, this probably isn’t a regular van rear end is it?

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**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611/3 "2010-09-26T15:03:42Z")

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It is a leaking seal probably in the area of the wheel bearing. The gear oil is from the rear end, differential. If you run the differential dry the whole thing can lock up and destroy all the gears, expensive.

Someone could have overfilled the rear end, and then you could have parked on a steep slope which might account for some fluid without a major problem. Or, the seal could be shot and your rear end differential is at risk.

Get the vehicle up on a lift and get it checked out and fixed. A new seal isn’t too bad a job, a whole new rear end - you don’t want to go there.

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**Author:** ![metal249](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@metal249](https://community.cartalk.com/u/metal249)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611/4 "2010-09-26T15:08:51Z")

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Any clue what kind of diff. is in this(so I can find parts). It’s a 440ci w/a 727 auto.

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**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611/5 "2010-09-26T16:09:33Z")

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I would guess it may be a Dana70 or 80 axle since its a dually.

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**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/leaking-gear-oil-from-hub-73-sportsman/55611/6 "2010-09-26T17:01:56Z")

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The hub seal is leaking. How familiar are you with full floating rear axles? How deep are your pockets? How large is your tool box? You have a great deal of cleaning to do. The brake shoes are likely trashed and the wheel cylinders are likely to need attention while you are in there.