We just received about a foot of snow in the last few hours. So off I go to do some plowing around the yard. After a couple of passes I see some reddish fluid on the ground coming from around the rear tire. So after looking it appears to be on the inside of my inside tire, but not on the rim ,or so it appears. To look at this it looks like transmission fluid but there is nothing like that anywhere near the tire. So I am thinking it must be a axle seal but is this stuff reddish in color when mixed with snow?

I don't think rear end fluid is red......Anyone? It may be brake fluid?

Rear end fluid smells like grape juice. People take that to think it has similar color; it does not; it is black. I vote brake fluid as well. Can't think of what else it might be. Take a good look at your brake lines, especially at the joint between the line and the caliper.

I don't think rear end fluid is red......Anyone? It may be brake fluid?Well I had to find out so out in the snow, take the plug out of rear end and no I don't think so, it's black and sticky. Brake fluid came to mind but it 's full and not red[I don't think anyways]. I now believe I know what it is it's transmission fluid from my plow. Now before everyone says dah. I checked the plow seems bone dry of leaks and the fluid was on the inside of the "rear" tire.So after reading my handy dandy plow manual it says hard hit's and bangs could let fluid escape from the tank. Now after a few storms and banks up to 5' things happen):h .The only other place I could think of that has transmission fluid is the zf6 and I could find no leaks and it would have to travel quite aways to get to the rear tire and there was none on the driveshaft.I just got back from a good hour of plowing and took it easy and could find nothing that looked like it was leaking. So I'm going with the plow story for now and keep looking. Any other ideas feel free to express yourself.

Rear end fluid smells like grape juice. People take that to think it has similar color; it does not; it is black. I vote brake fluid as well. Can't think of what else it might be. Take a good look at your brake lines, especially at the joint between the line and the caliper.You are correct that was my thought on the grape juice. After taking a sniff and looking at it I now know it is smell only.And yes I did the inspection of the brake lines and can't believe it would have leaked that much and wouldn't be able to see a leak a little later.Does anyone know if GM has red factory fluid in their brakes? I didn't actually take any out to look but I don't recall ever hearing that it was red.

Probably from the plow. A small leak drips on the plow frame, collectsand mixes into a little snowball, falls off and happens to hit the inside of a rear tire and spreads around.