Diff breathers

[bnebenda]

Diff breathers (front and rear) and in. Air is taken from the inside of the vehicle, avoiding any issues with dirt for the filters. I used existing holes in the back of the battery/electric box to feed the air (see pictures)

 

[Bobby Mac]

Diff breathers (front and rear) and in. Air is taken from the inside of the vehicle, avoiding any issues with dirt for the filters. I used existing holes in the back of the battery/electric box to feed the air (see pictures)

My only reservation with this would be the thought of the smell of diff oil fumes entering the cabin - the filter is only for matter, not odour, and diff oil really stinks! It may take a while before it is noticeable, but I think it would build up over time particularly in hot conditions, and would be hard to get rid of or mask!

 

[bnebenda]

My only reservation with this would be the thought of the smell of diff oil fumes entering the cabin - the filter is only for matter, not odour, and diff oil really stinks! It may take a while before it is noticeable, but I think it would build up over time particularly in hot conditions, and would be hard to get rid of or mask!

Good point, I‘ll keep an eye (nose) on it and move it to the outside if necessary

 

[Tom109]

My only reservation with this would be the thought of the smell of diff oil fumes entering the cabin - the filter is only for matter, not odour, and diff oil really stinks! It may take a while before it is noticeable, but I think it would build up over time particularly in hot conditions, and would be hard to get rid of or mask!

This is true for cabin vented breathers and why no one dose this, more than once!

 

[DenisM]

Good point, I‘ll keep an eye (nose) on it and move it to the outside if necessary

It's not just the odour: the volatile components of the diff oil will, over time, diffuse through the cabin and settle on all surfaces. You don't want oil film on the windows or the seats.... I'm being polite: your solution is not a good idea. If you're worried about dust on the diff filters in the engine bay, then cover them with a piece of foam....

 

[Tom109]

I ran the rear diff line this evening. Temporary ran it to the firewall in front of the driver (LHD). Tomorrow I’ll finish the front line and see if I stick with the same termination point.

I will say one thing, that Carraro breather fitting is certainly agricultural.

 

[bnebenda]

It's not just the odour: the volatile components of the diff oil will, over time, diffuse through the cabin and settle on all surfaces. You don't want oil film on the windows or the seats.... I'm being polite: your solution is not a good idea. If you're worried about dust on the diff filters in the engine bay, then cover them with a piece of foam....

I took your (and others) advice seriously and rerouted to the engine bay:

 

[Tom109]

Hi Tom109, Like the way your going with this, please post install photos and instructions if you can along with where to purchase everything.
I know it often takes more time to document than to do the install, so thanks in advance if you can find the time to do so.
DaBull

John,

Below are the parts I used. Parts sourced from McMaster-Carr. I use the straight connector at the diff, because as K1LL3M noted, there is not a lot of room to get a wrench in to tighten the elbow connector. In addition, the direction the elbow sent the tubing was not ideal. The rear breather tube was routed along the suspension arm to the LH sill. From there it basically follows the wire harness up to the LHD footwell. Here I routed it above the frame and below the body, following the firewall up and behind the black-capped coolant reservoir. Front breather tube is sort of the mirror image - leave diff, travel along suspension arm, then a gentle loop to meet the rear tubing and follow the same path above frame, below body, up firewall. The dual 90-deg. fitting with breather vent sits just inboard of the black coolant cap. I will try and get some photos this week. I finished the install late Sunday night and it's been raining ever since.

1pc. P/N 5225K939 - Push to Connect Double 90 Deg Fitting, for 6mm tube, OD 1/8 BSPP Male
2pc. P/N 2333N215 - Nickle Plated Brass PTC for 6mm tube, M10x1mm male
1pc. P/N 9833K24 - Breather Vent Zinc plates steel, 1/8 NPSM Female
25ft. P/N 50405K75 - Hard Nylon Plastic tubing, Gray, 4mm ID 6mm OD

 

[anand]

Tom109 first off, thank you for the leg work, and most importantly, part numbers!!

This seems to be a bad habit of mine, but again, I haven't read all 14 pages of this thread in depth to see if someone else already said what I'm thinking... I'm making an assumption that the tubing you've mentioned is of compatible hardness/etc to others on the market, and as an informational/theoretical post, the ARB diff breather kit uses 8mm OD tubing; so, in theory, one could purchase the ARB kit, as well as Qty 2 of the McMaster 2333N216 (M10x1 male to 8mm PTC), and make a hybrid of DIY and the ARB

 

[Tom109]

Tom109 first off, thank you for the leg work, and most importantly, part numbers!!

This seems to be a bad habit of mine, but again, I haven't read all 14 pages of this thread in depth to see if someone else already said what I'm thinking... I'm making an assumption that the tubing you've mentioned is of compatible hardness/etc to others on the market, and as an informational/theoretical post, the ARB diff breather kit uses 8mm OD tubing; so, in theory, one could purchase the ARB kit, as well as Qty 2 of the McMaster 2333N216 (M10x1 male to 8mm PTC), and make a hybrid of DIY and the ARB

Yes, tubing hardness is a range and should be matched to the chosen PTC connectors. Everything I bought cost me $110, less the 2x elbows @$20/each, bringing my kit down to $70 delivered in 1-day.

The 8mm/6mm OD is a non-issue. Coil-sprung LR’s used 6mm diff breather tubing and only had a 90deg formed bend at the firewall end. No filter or anything. RRC EAS was run on 6mm tubing as well. Both systems worked and I have a lot of 6mm spares.

 

[[ Adam ]]

John,

Below are the parts I used. Parts sourced from McMaster-Carr. I use the straight connector at the diff, because as K1LL3M noted, there is not a lot of room to get a wrench in to tighten the elbow connector. In addition, the direction the elbow sent the tubing was not ideal. The rear breather tube was routed along the suspension arm to the LH sill. From there it basically follows the wire harness up to the LHD footwell. Here I routed it above the frame and below the body, following the firewall up and behind the black-capped coolant reservoir. Front breather tube is sort of the mirror image - leave diff, travel along suspension arm, then a gentle loop to meet the rear tubing and follow the same path above frame, below body, up firewall. The dual 90-deg. fitting with breather vent sits just inboard of the black coolant cap. I will try and get some photos this week. I finished the install late Sunday night and it's been raining ever since.

1pc. P/N 5225K939 - Push to Connect Double 90 Deg Fitting, for 6mm tube, OD 1/8 BSPP Male
2pc. P/N 2333N215 - Nickle Plated Brass PTC for 6mm tube, M10x1mm male
1pc. P/N 9833K24 - Breather Vent Zinc plates steel, 1/8 NPSM Female
25ft. P/N 50405K75 - Hard Nylon Plastic tubing, Gray, 4mm ID 6mm OD

View attachment 7846972

Is this quantity per diff?

I appreciate any excuse to use the McMaster-Carr website. Hands down one of the best in the industry.

 

[Tom109]

Is this quantity per diff?

I appreciate any excuse to use the McMaster-Carr website. Hands down one of the best in the industry.

View attachment 7846995

That order would do front and rear, leaving several feet of extra tubing.

 

[anand]

The 8mm/6mm OD is a non-issue.

My thoughts with the ARB are purely vanity I like the way the ARB breather itself looks hahaha

 

[Tom109]

My thoughts with the ARB are purely vanity I like the way the ARB breather itself looks hahaha

The Grenadier engine compartment is packed! Space is at a premium.

 

[Tom109]

I'll find an old glove and cut a finger tip off to use as a pre-filter

 

[[ Adam ]]

Folks - McMaster carr is fantastic. I just got the order I placed yesterday @ 1130am.

Sounds like we need to have a diff breather install party

 

[Stu_Barnes]

I'll find an old glove and cut a finger tip off to use as a pre-filter

View attachment 7847018

Sintered bronze filter on a breather extension, nice job. Soak in solvent every once in a while to remove the dirt and it’ll last for years.

 

[Mountain4x4]

Really wish these came from the factory. Give its purpose built mantra, why the hell do they not come with raised diff breathers?

 

[Krabby]

Really wish these came from the factory. Give its purpose built mantra, why the hell do they not come with raised diff breathers?

Probably because the use rate percentage would be low I would think. But on a TM spec, definitely should be there.

 

[alexandruast]

What if we are overthinking the problem? Carraro builds axles for a whole range of heavy equipment. Most of them are used in construction/hauling machines, and I've never personally seen raised diff breathers on such machines. It doesn't make sense to raise a breather which only vents out. Maybe it has a lot to do with the beam axle internals and type of the seals. I think that some positive pressure inside the diff is a very desirable thing to have by design, this actually prevents the water getting inside through the seals more than having it at atmospheric pressure and submerged in 80cm of water (if using atmospheric breathers - because it makes no sense to extend the breathers if using the same one-way vent).
Ineos never said that you can park your car in 80cm of water. As long as the engine is running, the air fan is on max on fresh air and you are moving, there is no time for sufficient water to get in anywhere to cause damage.
But if you stall, or stop, or park in 80cm of water, then it becomes a problem.
Maybe we need a more complex mathematical model of why we are doing raised breathers, myself included in my LC80. What are the pressure differences inside the diff between atmospheric breathers and closed one-way breathers when submerged in different depths of water, for example.
Maybe we are wasting our time and resources to solve problems that do not exist. Dunno, just sayin...