Is there a rear-axle differential breather?

Folks -- I only recently realized there are such diff items, breather plugs, or vents. I learned the somewhat hard way (or, naive way) when doing my first diff drain and re-lube (66 cj5 restoration project), beginning with the front axle (dana 27). From top of the diff housing, I removed the springy cap and then the plug, thinking that was the fill port (okay, I since pumped in new gear oil into the cleaned and re-sealed diff cover port).

Here's my question: I don't see (or feel) any such breather on the housing of the rear diff (dana 44)... nor does the FSM suggest any such vent. Is this true -- no venting of the rear differentials?? Or did I not look/feel around thoroughly enough on the top of the diff housing to locate one?

When re-working the rear brakes, I cleaned out two pin-hole vents on the axle top near each of the brake plates ... only because the FSM shows those pin hole vents, and I figured I should locate and clean them. But is that it for venting the rear axle and differentials?

-- thank you.... ronnie

 

You found the vents, such as they are on a CJ. Military Jeeps had a system that could pressureize the axles and gear boxes, as well as the motor for deep water crosings. Do a search, this has been discussed many times.

 

Thanks, Everyone, for replying and commenting. I have two pin-holes, one each side, near the grease fittings. So I gather from the comments that there is not a vent on the rear differential housing as on the front diff housing. That was my concern, that maybe I was missing something. But apparently all venting goes that 'long' distance from diff housing, thru the axle, to near the axle ends. Good enough.

As an aside, last nite I successfully (first time) pumped in 6+ pints of GL-4 lube into my trans and transfer cases (~2.6 and 3.6 pts, respectively) -- after emptying out 49 y.o. oil (but the cj5 has been dormant 22+ years; ~70 k miles on it). It's a good feeling to get that lube replenishment done. Hopefully I can have this restoration project on the road by year's end. I'm the original owner; bought it in Athens, OH in '66

 

I'm waiting for the famous picture that, I belive Walt has shown many times.

 

Sorrry, wrong name. I knew it was one of the oldtimers around here. A person could do as Patrick did and drill it out, tap it and add a vent hose to it and route to a higher place.

 

There were some that had a vent hole on both tubes. The one in my '59/5 was like that. I found out after I hot tanked the axle housing and installed new gears and full float kit and it started leaking on both sides. I welded them up and moved the vent to a higher up location.

 

could you do the grease zerk thing on a flanged axle so you can put grease in there? when i did mine i used that really tacky red grease and put a bit in there as the axle seal is at the end of the tubes