It appears that our 2005 is leaking oil from the driveshaft connection at the rear diff. Probably the pinion seal... maybe. Is this a DIY type job or do you need special tools (puller, seater, etc)?. I got the regular air tools and such. The other thing, I tried to take the rear diff cover off. Is there a "trick"? There no "lip" to tap on to seperate the cover from the housing after you remove all the bolt and there is no way to budge the cover... almost looks like it was "gooped" tight. Thanks for any guidance.

 

If the 2005 is like the 2010, from the 2010 shop manual:

The diff cover is just siliconed real good to the case. No special mention made of any method to remove it. I wonder if a thin wide-blade putty knife would get you started cutting the adhesion of the silicone all around it.

Pinion seal replacement:

(1)They show a holding tool, a flat metal bar with two holes in it, to bolt to the pinion flange to hold it while removing the pinion nut.

(2)Then index-mark flange to pinion.

(3)Then they use a two-jaw puller to pull off the flange.

(4)Then they use a "converter seal remover and slide hammer" setup to pull out the pinion seal. If this seal is like a wheel bearing seal of old, or the typical crankcase front seal, then I don't see why masking taping the shaft for safety, and carefully drilling a small hole in the seal between the shaft and the metal outer lip, screwing in a sheet-metal screw, and yanking on the screw with a pair of pliers. I've pulled tractor crankshaft seals, car crank seals, etc. with that method.

(5)They install the new seal using a "pinion drive seal installer".
I've installed crankshaft seals, FWD wheel hub seals, RWD trans output seals, etc. by finding a proper diameter PVC pipe and cutting it long enough to fit over the center obstruction, then put a block of wood over the end of the pipe, and hit with a hammer or mallet. As long as pipe is sized properly so the wall of the pipe is pressing against the outer metal lip of the seal. If it is a cylindrical no-lip seal, the same pipe idea works, just have to observe how deep the original seal was set, so can drive the new seal to the same depth. Obviously, the seal type with the metal lip on the outside edge is driven till it stops with metal lip tight to the housing.

(6) Grease up the pinion flange, align with index marks, using the holding bar, and using a new pinion nut, tighten to 180 ft. lbs.

(7) They use 4 new driveshaft to pinion flange bolts, tighten to 52 ft. lbs.

I think the only part that would take me a while would be to find a steel bar that I could use. Even if it was too short to touch the ground (to hold it from turning), seems like a jack stand or jack could be used to hold the bar horizontal quite easily.

 

I had the same problem. I noticed that when I took the fill plug out, there was pressure inside so I removed the breather vent and cleaned it. It did the trick as it has quit leaking.

 

thanks for the great info.... I like the "pvc type seal seater" idea. I am wondering about "preloading" which I see mentioned in other vehicle write-ups. I certainly don't want to take the rear end off to do that. I will check the breather but my leaks seemed to exist even when the vehicle has sat for a long time (days).... and I don't seem to recall any "pressure" when removing the fill plug.

 

For the flat bar if I'm reading it right Ive used a pipe wrench and jack stand to hold the flange.Mark the pinion nut to the pinion shaft with a center punch or scribe a line so when you reinstall the nut instead of torquing it down line the line or center punch mark back up.Then it will be just like before on the preload.

 

probably dumb question, but on the "holder" side of things, does it matter whether the flange moves during the removal operation, even a bit.... I assume once you have marked things it shouldn't OR is there something on the "back side" (ie. diff) that might be "bad" once the nut is loosened?

 

No, the nut just holds the flange onto the pinion shaft on that differential.

Not mentioned in the manual, but probably taken for granted, is that before the new seal is installed, the seal lips that will ride on the pinion shaft should be lubed. Just like any other type of shaft seal or wheel bearing seal, don't start it dry.

If you do it, please let us know how it goes.

 

well finally got a chance to crawl back under the vehicle... boy my memory is bad (or maybe selective). I now recall why I didn't go any further before other than trying to take the diff cover off (and failing), the problem isn't the pinion seal, its at least one of the axle connections (left side).... :-(. I suspect at the time (last fall) I figured that was a major problem that needed to be addressed in warmer weather and probably by a garage as opposed to a DIY shade tree. I guess the new title of this should be "axles seal replaceable?".... probably not by me... :-(

Sorry for the "miss information" at the start but I was going more from memory after crawling under the vehicle in late fall. Anyways, the information presented herein is still great for those that might follow.

Thanks for any guidance on the axle bearing "stuff".

Edit: talked to a ford dealer, they want about $500 to do both axle seals (2 hours / side). We will probably keep an eye on fluid levels and see where the money will come from.