Axle leaking

[Blacklabelbrother2]

Hello everyone,


My wife got me the 2.5” Superlift for Christmas andI put it on recently and it looked good. Now I read a lot about lifting this truck and the problems people were having but I thought that this kit would be different because my front passenger axle started leaking, the boot isn’t cut from me installing it, it’s more like squeezing it out from the clamp. So I notice this at about 300 miles with the lift on I decided to take it back off…….. which sucks.

I double checked and made sure everything was installed according to the directions as I took it off just to make sure I hadn’t installed it incorrectly but it was all correct….. which sucks

I’m keeping an eye on the axle and it seems to have leaked just a little bit after I took it off, I’m gonna keep an eye on it hoping I don’t have to replace the axle because I’m sure I’m liable for it now. I don’t really have any questions just needed to vent about it. I really wanted a lifted maverick

Sponsored

 

[StillWaiting]

Keep us updated for sure. I installed a level and took it off because I wasn’t happy with the look and a slight rubbing noise.

 

[Blacklabelbrother2]

I will keep you posted. I’m pretty bummed about it.

 

[bigbicep24]

I believe there was just axel issues from the supplier. I have had my 2” Fordrangerlift on since August 2022 with no issues. I have checked my axels multiple times and have no issues.

 

[Blacklabelbrother2]

Well I made sure to take note of any axle leak before the lift and there was no indications of a leak before. After install came the leak.

 

[bigbicep24]

The lift might have accelerated the bad axel clamping. If you didn’t want deal with a dealer. I would find the same side clamp, cut off old one and install new one. Could even use a band clamp around it.
If the clamp was crooked or not tight if could slide and grease comes out.

 

[Blacklabelbrother2]

I thought about tryin that if it is still leaking after a few hundred miles. After reading all the axle issues after a lift I thought it would tear the boot but maybe that’s not the case with all the leaks everyone is having.

 

[NoVaJimmy]

Well I made sure to take note of any axle leak before the lift and there was no indications of a leak before. After install came the leak.

I haven't installed my lift kit yet but during my most recent tire rotation I noted some grease coming out of the boot on my front passenger side inner boot. I cleaned it up just because it seemed like it could have been from the manufacturing process but if there's grease there when I am ready to install the lift I'm going to take it to Ford to have it replaced under warranty.

 

[Motorjunkie]

Hello everyone,


My wife got me the 2.5” Superlift for Christmas andI put it on recently and it looked good. Now I read a lot about lifting this truck and the problems people were having but I thought that this kit would be different because my front passenger axle started leaking, the boot isn’t cut from me installing it, it’s more like squeezing it out from the clamp. So I notice this at about 300 miles with the lift on I decided to take it back off…….. which sucks.

I double checked and made sure everything was installed according to the directions as I took it off just to make sure I hadn’t installed it incorrectly but it was all correct….. which sucks

I’m keeping an eye on the axle and it seems to have leaked just a little bit after I took it off, I’m gonna keep an eye on it hoping I don’t have to replace the axle because I’m sure I’m liable for it now. I don’t really have any questions just needed to vent about it. I really wanted a lifted maverick

My humble opinion, (licensed aircraft mechanic, factory Mercedes Benz mechanic, and retired from building GE locomotive engines), when you lift this vehicle with unibody construction, you are significantly increasing the angle of deflection of the cv joint itself. This puts a higher stress on the boot (and perhaps the joint itself) thus pulling and stretching the boot. My guess is that the lift asks too much from the boot as designed. If you really want to keep the lift, try a better band clamp, or a neoprene cv boot (more supple). My only caution is that the cv joints are the most robust when they are as straight as possible i.e., stock set up. When you lift a truck with a frame, you are not necessarily affecting the suspension geometry but perhaps the angle of the drive shafts from the transmission/transfer case to the differentials. I hope this helps explain this a little better. As for the few who are not currently having issues, keep a good eye on the boots so that if one starts to leak, you don't ruin a cv joint.

 

[Blacklabelbrother2]

If the axle keep leaking and have to get it fixed I probably won’t bother with the lift anymore because I would be worried it would cause the same problem , but if it were to come out as a factory defect I would give it another try but how will we ever know for sure?

 

[Maverickman74]

My humble opinion, (licensed aircraft mechanic, factory Mercedes Benz mechanic, and retired from building GE locomotive engines), when you lift this vehicle with unibody construction, you are significantly increasing the angle of deflection of the cv joint itself. This puts a higher stress on the boot (and perhaps the joint itself) thus pulling and stretching the boot. My guess is that the lift asks too much from the boot as designed. If you really want to keep the lift, try a better band clamp, or a neoprene cv boot (more supple). My only caution is that the cv joints are the most robust when they are as straight as possible i.e., stock set up. When you lift a truck with a frame, you are not necessarily affecting the suspension geometry but perhaps the angle of the drive shafts from the transmission/transfer case to the differentials. I hope this helps explain this a little better. As for the few who are not currently having issues, keep a good eye on the boots so that if one starts to leak, you don't ruin a cv joint.

Sorry buddy but frame and unibody has nothing to do with deflection of an IFS or IRS or that matter. Soild axles are used on unibodies and independent suspensions are used on full framed vehicles. Yes CVs like to be straight-ish but really are not designed to ever be straight for long periods of time because that can increase harmonics in a wobble.

Your advise is accurate but dont lump into the "unibody cant do crap crowd".
This is a unibody, the roll cage in is is welded to stamped sheetmetal. Not a frame in sight.

As for the OPs issue. You leak could be from the lift or just a bad clamp. A clamp is a clamp and a rubber boot is just a boot. They have limits and inherent weaknesses. Aside from dealing with your dealer. You could just simply replace the shaft, inspect the old one and fix the clamp. You could also wait for the Tremor upgraded shafts to be available, if they have the same splines and similar or slightly longer lengths then they would be perfect for a lift. I suspect in the future Tremor shafts will be the standard for upgrades.

Edit:
I just checked some Ford part numbers and the Bronco Sport 1.5 and 2.0 AWD uses the same shafts as the Escape, leading me to believe that interchagability will be the same with the Maverick however they dont list them for the Maverick yet. It does appear that the "Advanced AWD" models use a different shaft so perhaps the Badlands axles will be the same as the Tremor in which case someone could buy one and compare if them is the have one already leaking and see if they will work. I dont yet have my Tremor so I wont be any help. They are listed for around $150 a piece. If the splines match both ends that would be pretty dang awesome!

 

[Blacklabelbrother2]

I wonder if ford used this style clamp on all the maverick axles because some people with a lift don’t have the axle leaking problem.

 

[NoVaJimmy]

I wonder if ford used this style clamp on all the maverick axles because some people with a lift don’t have the axle leaking problem.

Out of curiosity I went out and looked today and sure enough there's more grease coming out of the same spot (which I wiped clean about two weeks ago) AND on top of that now there's transmission fluid all over the place. I was too annoyed to take off the shields and take a look so maybe I'll do that tomorrow but it looks like a trip to the dealer is in store for me.

 

[Maverickman74]

Yeah that sort of clamp is common for OE axles. I personally trust it about as much as a zip tie. While Im sure its tested to be just fine. It will take no abuse. If you have the knuckle off and over extend the shock. It will probably loosen. Really once a grease leak like that starts it will have to be cleaned and to reseal the rubber to the metal.

 

[Nw_adventure]

Lift Springs for the win -

Sponsored