Right i'll try to find the old crank seals from the meadows engine. lucky i havent had to change any bearings.....Yet.
The oil pump squirts oil on to the worm and also lubes the rear bearing of the pinion. When working hard at slow speed the oil cam become very warm even with the cooler, The oil runs off the crown wheel before it reaches the top and the worm can run dry.
I have spoken to a man who runs a heavy recovery buisness and he himself is an ex REME mechanic and so are both his sons. He said he would never run without an oil cooler fitted for as a worm and wheel generate a large amount of friction and heat.
He sold his explorer and about 10 years later his wife bought it back as a pressent. unfortunatly the cooler had sufferd frost damage and been disconected. When the explorer arived at his house (having driven 100 odd mile he could feel the heat from the rear axle on his face and it sizzeled when he spat on it, the whole rear diff was was scrap!:shake:
So on this information i shall be running an oil cooler and a pump.