2001 Cherokee Sport . 8.25 rear. Drums. So i got my entire rear end swapped out recently at a shop because there was no way for me to to that here. my old one had new brakes. and i had JUST done the bearings and seals. Got the XJ back 2 weeks or so ago. I noticed today fluid leaking from the drum. Brakes felt fine the last few days and i just checked the brake fluid and it looks to be still full. is there a way to test it to see if it is brake fluid? or is this likely the bearing seal? I cant tell the difference between brake fluid and the gear oil just looking at it. I just wanted to see if it sounds like the seal to you guys. I have a 3 day weekend so i may be able to get the seal and do it over the weekend. if its the brake cylinder i likely have to park it for a week.

 

What's it smell like? Brake fluid smells a little fishy and tastes sweet.

 

Clean it with brake cleaner... Reinstall the drums... then pump the brakes a few times... You'll see if its brake fluid or not...

 

Thanks! After thinking for a bit thats what i was thinking to do as well. Did it this morning, i see no leaks, brake fluid is still full and brakes feel normal. So im betting its the seal. Since i had a shop replace the entire rear end 2-3 weeks ago, i am waiting to hear back if they will fix this. If not i will get the seals and bearings and do this ....again. (i did it on the old rear end weeks before i got it replaced due to pinon bearing damage)

Alos would like to add, that on my way to work Friday there is a very rough patch of asphalt in one spot that is unavoidable, and when it hit it this Friday, i heard a slight bang sound and heard grinding for a second or so then it seemed fine. Got to work ok with no issues or noise. I thought it may have been a thick piece of a branch i had run over (we had a big storm a couple weeks ago and there are branch pieces still around) Got home as well (about a 35 minute drive) no issues. Saturday morning i just wanted to check to see if there was any damage, and i noticed the leak. So i think that may point to the seal and/or bearing as well.
Thanks for the assist!

 

Nothing smells like the hypoid gear lube that's in the diff. If it smells like rotten sulfur that's it
I have no idea what it tastes like.. I'm not that crazy

 

Sometimes ya just gotta use all your senses to troubleshoot. I had on old timer taste the motor oil on a truck I was selling to check if it tasted metallic or sweet. I tasted the reddish goo on my 2014 Cherokee to figure out if it was coolant or transmission oil. Sweet followed by nasty bitter told me it was the oil cooler gasket.

 

Also, brake fluid is more or less water soluable, so you can wash it away much easier than gear oil. Another trick to add to what's been posted above.

 

Haha! that is 100% true! I did the seals and bearings on the previous rear end a few weeks prior and man that stuff stank! Shortly after, maybe 3 weeks or so, i was told the pinon bearing was so shot for an unknown period of time, that it damaged a lot of the internals and just had them replace the entire rear end with a junkyard rear since i couldnt afford a new one. However i think there is new Fluid in the diff now as it didnt really smell and the shop did charge me for diff lube. Haha yea i dont think tasting it is a good idea LOL
that said, i cleaned it up, and then put the car on and pumped the brakes a few times. they felt normal, and it doesnt appear anything more has leaked. Also the brake fluid is still full. So im betting its the seal/bearing. Its getting parked for the next week and i'll take it apart for further inspection, and if its the seal/bearing, do that before driving it again. Will do both sides since i'll have it apart.