Can anyone tell me if performing periodic maintenance on the rear axle vent is included anywhere in the service manual or owner's manual? I looked and cannot find anything. Reason I ask is...my vent failed and dealership said they always check it when one brings their truck in for maintenance. If I would have known about it, I definitely would have checked it every time I changed my own oil. Thanks.
Rear Axle Vent
jkon
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i think part of the reason a rubber tube is used on the front diff is because that diff doesn't move up and down. the rear axle moves up and down with the suspension so maybe a tube could get snagged on something off roading like a stick or whatever. it's just a thought as to why they do it that way. it's not only on nissans. pretty much all trucks have the same setup.
i think my dad's 2002 dodge 1500 has a short tube but it's just looped up under the truck with a one way valve on the end of the tube.
i think my dad's 2002 dodge 1500 has a short tube but it's just looped up under the truck with a one way valve on the end of the tube.
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i think part of the reason a rubber tube is used on the front diff is because that diff doesn't move up and down....same with the transfer case, etc. they all stay in the same spot all of the time. the vent tube goes up behind the air filter box from the front diff. the transfer case and tranny vent tubes go up to the back of the engine somewhere.
the rear axle moves up and down with the suspension so maybe a tube could get snagged on something off roading like a stick or whatever. it's just a thought as to why they do it that way. it's not only on nissans. pretty much all trucks have the same setup.
i think my dad's 2002 dodge 1500 has a short tube but it's just looped up under the truck with a one way valve on the end of the tube. i know my 2009 tacoma had the same one way valve on the axle just like the frontier does.
the rear axle moves up and down with the suspension so maybe a tube could get snagged on something off roading like a stick or whatever. it's just a thought as to why they do it that way. it's not only on nissans. pretty much all trucks have the same setup.
i think my dad's 2002 dodge 1500 has a short tube but it's just looped up under the truck with a one way valve on the end of the tube. i know my 2009 tacoma had the same one way valve on the axle just like the frontier does.
It sure would be interesting to actually know what percentage of axles/axle seals fail prematurely...as well as how many '05-'10 Frontiers suffered from SMOD.
We are quick to warn New Members about these possible catastrophes, but what are the real numbers? I heard only the shadow knows...🧟♂️🦹♂️🌚💣
We are quick to warn New Members about these possible catastrophes, but what are the real numbers? I heard only the shadow knows...🧟♂️🦹♂️🌚💣
Not only that but maybe the axles have improved seals like in the Titans and the problem is solved? We are basing all this on old info?
It's Possible I'm trying to get info but so far the numbers of actual failures, premature failures are very small. Most posts I have read this far the trucks have over 100k miles or they are modified.
Trucks under 100k miles and stock the numbers seem very low. At least by the forum members here and other forums.
So many variables to calculate this will be difficult without allot of member support.
Getting there info from Nissan might be tough too but I will try and contact the company corporate office. I prefer email because I have it in writing so show everyone.
Good luck w/ corporate. When I reached out to them in late '14, they were unable to say why a 6-sp SV Frontier could not be had/ordered w/ the VTP. Still gets my goat 5.5 yrs later.
With warranty work now a days though things get documented in various ways. Even CarFax gets info if a part gets replaced on your truck IF a professional did it and not yourself. So I'm going to try and reach out to a few sources and see.
Honestly I'm expecting less than 1% of all Frontiers produced have had an axle replaced for this reason. Just a hunch guess.
Will see.
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According to Nissan, 498,553 Frontiers were built from 2005 to 2019, for the US market, disregarding Europe and Asia. So if 1% of them went Mary Poppins, that's 4985 folk who are now hopping mad cause their $1500-1700.00 axle just took a dump. Even if we go real conservative, thats 498 at only 1/10 of 1%. I see this question as a law of returns. If I invest $20.00 and 20 minutes and save my axle, was it worth it? The real issue is that this is a negative positive, you are positing the theory that my axle seals will or will not be damaged by the OE vent if I do nothing about it. But there's positively no way in any universe to prove it, cause the only one that I'm aware of that knows all possible outcomes is God. So as I mentioned earlier, we are back to the Casino table shooting craps and guessing if we'll win or not. My money goes, always bet on black, just do it. And yeah, I know I'm mixing metaphors LOL.
Your taking things a little out of context. The guess work is just saying the odds of your axle failing with the OEM vent are minimal.
Your also forgetting to mention that people with the mod still have the axle problem.
So if people are still having the problem WITH the mod then it's possible it's not the vent causing the problem. That's what I'm trying to figure out.
Is it possible the axles leaked for another reason? Like poor quality seals as in the earlier 1st Gen Titans and those said seals have been upgraded in the Titans so maybe they did the same for the Frontier?
That's all I'm trying to get at because this mod doesn't seem to be the cure.
There just might be another factor at play here and the vent if anything might only be partially at fault or maybe not at fault at all unless it's obviously frozen shut.
Doesn't make sense where some people go 100k plus miles and never have an issue and some have an issue with 30k miles 🤔
Just makes no sense. THAT is why I'm researching.
Also those numbers you quoted for sales over the last 14 yrs is around 30,000 trucks sold per year? That sounds pretty light doesn't it? Even for Nissan.
That's only 2500 trucks a month???
Mmmm🤔
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Holy cow, yeah, you're right, my PC virtual calculator glitched the first time, it should be 948,997. Big difference. And they didn't sell in any comparable numbers, but not sure if that includes Suzuki Equators as well, I don't think so. That may bump it over the 1 mill mark.
For 29 dollars I vote with Ryan. There must be a reason every Dodge trk,Chevy trk and Jeep cherokee all had axle vent hoses on both frt and rear axles that Ive owned since 1975.So its cheap insurance to spend the money to make it like every other Manufactuer does.
Thats the thing though, look a few posts back where a guys Dad's Dodge truck did indeed have a hose on his truck but a one way valve connected to the hose. All that did was raise the elevation if your going through deep water or something, but the valve itself was the same as we have. Just on the Frontier its located at lower position.
There are no "sides" to be on here. I am just looking for some proof that this mod is actually beneficial for the average joe. Thats all. If folks are doing this mod and still having failures? Then its possible the valve is not the problem. Could have been a crappy seal design.
I have seen videos on youtube of people doing this mod, one in particular the guys truck has over 200k miles on it and he had the OEM valve on it and it was still working. No axle issues. He did the mod just because. So???
In that video, some people replied about condensation being in the filter housing. That is something of a concern. That condensation has only one way to go...down right back into the axle. So that can't be good either.
No word back from Dana as of yet. If they respond will let everyone know. I am going to get a hold of my Sister to ask some of her past sponsors. See what they might know.
I know some people would definitely benefit from the mod, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE NEEDS IT or your risking your axle. I think that is WWAAYY overblown. If you wheel every weekend in deep water or something of the like? yeah, it makes sense, but for the occasional off road journey or snow adventure, or just driving your truck normal day to day like probably 99% of buyers do?? It just might not be "necessary".
Just going by your handle name on this one...
If it aint broke??? right? haha
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I agree. I think most of the failures have to do with off roading in mud and water holes and also driving on salty roads where corrosion causes the vent to seize shut. i could see where cheaper axle seals could be an issue too if that is what happened in the past. there is a good chance of that since the titan had issues with seals of low quality....anyways if anyone can get 200k out of the seals without leaking then there is no seal problems or axle vent problems either which leads me back to off roading through mud and water and salt corrosion as being the main cause of the failures.
how a truck is treated has a lot to do with things. some people will have a clutch go out at 50-75k miles so they say it's a bad clutch design...but then someone else will drive the same clutch for 250k miles without any issues. so is it a clutch problem or a driver problem? LOL
you can't treat a truck like crap flooring the gas pedal everywhere you drive and tear it up off roading and spinning the tires all the time etc. and expect it to last 500k miles trouble free. that just doesn't happen.
how a truck is treated has a lot to do with things. some people will have a clutch go out at 50-75k miles so they say it's a bad clutch design...but then someone else will drive the same clutch for 250k miles without any issues. so is it a clutch problem or a driver problem? LOL
you can't treat a truck like crap flooring the gas pedal everywhere you drive and tear it up off roading and spinning the tires all the time etc. and expect it to last 500k miles trouble free. that just doesn't happen.
This ☝☝☝☝☝☝☝
Very well said and I feel the same way. It just makes no sense how many of these trucks are on the road, not just Frontiers but Titans (same vent design and axle) and so many have well over 100k miles with no issues and then some people have 30k miles on their truck with leaky seals? Just doesn't add up to me.
To those that want to do the mod, no one is saying for you not to. I am not mocking this mod or telling you NOT to do it. My whole point for me to bring this thread back up is the opinion is the vent itself being faulty is the reason for the failures and by doing this mod it will eliminate the problem. Fact is? It won't. You can look on different forums just like I have and see that people WITH the mod still had failures. I am just a curious cat and I like to figure things out. Like I said earlier I think I missed my calling and should have been an engineer. haha I just like to know how things work and if and when something does fail? I want to know why and see how to prevent it happening to anyone else.
In the research I have done thus far? Honestly? It seems in the earlier years of the trucks they just had a crappy seal design. The seals were upgraded at some point, but people being cautious just did the mod anyway. That is fine. For me? I want to go deeper into it and see what REALLY happened.
The fact that people are having leaking seals WITH the mod and Without, and with a functioning OEM style vent leads me to believe there is more to this than we know.
Questions is? Is this STILL an ongoing problem? or not? Most of the "failures" i have read about are trucks that are either A) are modified B) have over 100k miles and C) are 2005-2010 model years.
So is this a current problem? That is the question.
Thanks Everyone for your input, love the topic its interesting to me, and enjoy all your input.
I will post more info as it comes available. If you find out some info PLEASE share it here .
Maybe I can begin a post, as a sticky if the admins will allow, to have people post if they have had an axle failure yes or no, give some info on their trucks and we can sort this out ourselves. Like a poll type of thing?
I will look into doing that. Get some good data that way 👍
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I changed my gear oil after the vent mod, 1 time, with Motul full-synth 85-140 as recommended. I saw zero signs of any water in the lubricant. But I did design mine somewhat differently, I have a K&N filter on the end of a hose, inside a $6.00 disposable WallyWorldLand sports drink cup, with a hole in the bottom to vent any pressure or moisture. The only way I can see any condensate getting into my axle would be if it formed either A. on the inside of the rubber tubing itself, or B. on the inside of the filter, which is pretty huge considering its application, and would have to shed said water as run-off straight down the connection fitting.
I wheel in NJ, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Maine. Temps and humidity vary from pretty low to "wringing out your cotton sweatshirt hot - Chesapeake Bay humidity", so all over the map. I don't do axle-deep river fordings but never shied away from crossin that stream & gettin 'er dirty when its available. YMMV
All this proves to me is how little the axle actually "Breathes". If you were in such humidity and you didn't get much condensation, which who knows either way, it shows that the axle isn't drawing in the air which proves to me the OEM vent would be fine. Now, this person wheels his truck on a somewhat regular basis because he can and enjoys it and doing this mod hoping that if he does go through some deep water or mud he would be fine.
I think the main fail point of the OEM vent type system is just if its submerged in water over the axle on a hot day. That is where I think this mod would be worthy.
If you don't do that? Or don't do it often anyway and you keep an eye on your OEM vent to make sure it moves freely and change it as needed?
I will link the video of the guy with the Frontier 200k+ miles and just did the mod, well just because. Maybe it helps maybe it doesn't? Under certain conditions I am sure it does, under others not. Just depends on what you do with your truck.
To say if you DON"T do this your doomed though? I think is very misleading.
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If you make it, I’ll sticky it.
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