Words by Kolyn Radbourne @Legacy4WD
If I told you that for less than $40 and an hour of DIY labour, I could save you thousands of dollars. I would probably sound like an obnoxious late night infomercial, but it’s true!
All drivetrain parts have some sort of breather so the air can escape as things heat up from the friction in the gears. However, if these breathers are installed on low points, they can become clogged with road grime and then the air (followed by the oil) will take the path of least resistance, usually through the axle seals.
Dean Hughes
Another possibility is when out wheeling; if that breather sits under water for any length of time it can suck water into your drivetrain. In case you haven’t noticed, water isn’t a good lubricant.
All vehicles are different where the breathers are located. On Project GoneMoab 2021 (aka Super Grover) with our 2014 Nissan Xterra Pro4X, Nissan did a good job on everything but the rear axle. It’s a similar story in the Toyota camp. The breather is right on the passenger side axle tube. Follow along as we install an extended breather.
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Mike Tishken
This is why you need a higher axle breather.
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Kolyn Radbourne
Factory breather location. This is too low for my liking.
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Kolyn Radbourne
Putting the kids to work and learning new skills. Here, my son is removing the tail light as this is where the extended breather will reach.
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Kolyn Radbourne
Be sure to apply some thread sealant to the new fitting to prevent leaks.
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Kolyn Radbourne
Install the new fitting being careful to not over tighten. The fittings are a tapered thread and if you gorilla it on and it breaks on the trail, it will stop being a fun afternoon.
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Kolyn Radbourne
Run the hose to the fitting and remember to clamp the hose in place.
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Kolyn Radbourne
Final step is to place a filter on the end of the hose. Here I used a lawn mower filter. Then tuck it all away nicely and reinstall the tail light.