Leaking bearings

[martin_andy25]

Guys I have a 96 max IV and my bearings have no play in them at all like they are not worn at all but when I fell the body up with water 2 or 3 of them leak water out a few drops at a time. The drips are coming out of the locking collar and not the flanges, any advice on what I can do to solve this problem??

[martin_andy25]

Fill not fell, sorry for the typo.

[Mike]

I would bet that the water is still coming through the bearing. The locking collar is a cam function which means that when it does lock against the lip of the bearing, it is not going to be sealed all the way around the axle and it is not intended to do anything to prevent water from getting in. It is possible that there is a leak between the axle and the inner race but more likely that it is seeping through the bearing seal.

If you want to try, you can take some 3M strip caulk and run it around the locking collar at both the axle and the bearing and see if that helps. It's really good at sealing leaks.

[martin_andy25]

Ok thanks Mike! I'll pick some up in the morning while I'm looking for a new master link. By the way this website is extremely helpful! No one has a 6x6 where I live but me so this information I get from this website is like gold! Thanks again!

[martin_andy25]

Leaks

Guys I have a 1996 Max IV and i posted a while back about how i filled the tub up with water and water dripped out of my locking collars on my axles. Well i took it fishing today and wasnt in the water but about an hour and when i pulled the plugs a significant amount of water drained out, im just wondering if it leaks alot worse when the tires are turning versus the water just seeping in when the axles or not turning.

[philipatmaxfour]

Do you have a bilge pump?Most machines leak a bit in an hour. Not a big problem except getting the belt wet in a Max iv can make it hard to climb the bank on the way out.A short run of the pump, pretty much solves that problem. Some may think otherwise but I don;t think under power or not makes much difference. Happy motoring

[martin_andy25]

I do have a bildge pump but i can't stand the fact that it leaks, I won't it to be bone dry when I get out of the water. Thanks for the reply.

[martin_andy25]

Anyone else feel free to comment. Thanks.

[amphibious drew]

If your seal is worn between the tubs water can come in through the seem when the churn from the tires is going hard.

[CCRanch]

leak

I am having the same problem with water leaking in through the seals. (this is why I did a search). I filled mine up with a water hose and they all leaked/dripped out by the seals. Is it bad to run it like this? I just want it to make it through duck season then I will do the repairs. Maybe another month or so. Thanks.

[Mike]

I am having the same problem with water leaking in through the seals. (this is why I did a search). I filled mine up with a water hose and they all leaked/dripped out by the seals. Is it bad to run it like this? I just want it to make it through duck season then I will do the repairs. Maybe another month or so. Thanks.

If it's not leaking bad, it's really it's more of an annoyance then anything else. As long as you are conscious of the leaking and know that you have a limited amount of time in a pond, it's not a terrible thing. If you are planning on staying on the water for any extended period of time I would change the bearings first. A bilge pump is a quick and cheap way to at least have a little peace of mind if you don't already have one.

Other than the increased risk of sinking, your chains, sprockets and inner bearings will also get wet which can lead to rust and faster wear on those parts but even with a leak-free machine, mine usually ends up covered from splashing mud and water anyways.

[CCRanch]

Thanks, I got a bilge pump and rigged it up the other day after it took me an hour to get out of the marsh, when it should have taken me 15 minutes. The belt got wet and it was slow going.