Series 1 TDI21 Rear Axle

Alan  The TA21 uses a salisbury differential as does the TD. I have not found a breather on the TA.  Richard Melbourne Posted by RichardWallach 27/08/2015 21:29:58

Alan The parts book does not show or list one  Peter Posted by Peter Martin 29/08/2015 10:26:28

My TC21 has a small hole drilled in the axle tube a few inches from the seam with the main differential casing. The hole is on the top (so not easy to see with the axle in situ) on the right hand tube. I imagine it could easily get blocked or painted over. Posted by drdowhitt 29/08/2015 23:43:16

Well spotted Jon. I have 2 spare  ex TD axles, on inspection both have a 1.5/2mm hole located in top of the tube about 75mm from the c/l of the handbrake mounting bracket, one is blocked the other clear.Seems a crude ? effective? solution, there I was expecting to find a nice brass fitting on top of the diff housing. I bet the holes on my car(s) are blocked ,which might explain the oil weepage from their nose seals... Next job. Posted by Peter Martin 03/09/2015 17:00:03

Further to ... My TA has a TD axle and the hole has been started  and is about 1mm deep ,most  likely the drill bit broke or the shift ended,see below. My TE had its original axle replaced at about 110,000m in Oct  '85 ,the replacement unit has a hole  this was  blocked with 30 years  and a further 100,000 miles of  crud. It is now clear.  Suggest you google  Salisbury axle breather where you will learn, amongst other stuff, that QC issues at the factory meant the breather was sometimes omitted or even drilled on the underside !!  Peter Posted by Peter Martin 22/09/2015 11:15:12