I removed my passenger side drum with a mallet and a large screw drive. It was full of heavy grease. I think the bearing seal leaked into the brakes. How hard is it to change the bearing on that axel. I have an old manual and it shows a special tool for pressing the bearing and the retaining ring into place. How hard is this job going to be. Should I just repack it and reseal it? How do I know if the bearing should be replaced?

 

The bearing must be pressed off, and pressed on. When I had mine done the guy who put them on a press put 20 tons of pressure on it, and then tapped the axle with a hammer to get it off. He said putting the new one on was easier. I had always drilled and then smacked the bearings to get them off myself, but you have to press them on.

 

The job is relatively easy to do. You don't have a wheel cylinder leaking do you??? Just asking. Do you have the 9" axle in your truck. You should. If so, it is simple to remove the axle shaft. Remove wheel, drum, etc. There should be a hole in the flange of the shaft. There are 4 nuts that you will have to remove. Turn the shaft so the hole lines up the nuts. Spin the nuts off and the shaft should slide right out with bearing and all. There is a gasket that you will either need to purchase or make. I have heard of people using blue rtv gasket maker. Not sure if that works but that is up to you.

 

most likely the axle seal is bad, the seal sits behind the bearing, to pull the axle out unbolt the 4 retainer nuts that hold the backing plate in place then just pull the axle out of the housing. once out you will see the seal. best to do both sides and CHECK the breather on the housing to make sure its not pluged. (its located where the brake line T block is, its also the bolt that holds it in place, should have a rubber hose on it)

And Welcome to FTE!

 

The job is relatively easy to do. You don't have a wheel cylinder leaking do you??? Just asking. Do you have the 9" axle in your truck. You should. If so, it is simple to remove the axle shaft. Remove wheel, drum, etc. There should be a hole in the flange of the shaft. There are 4 nuts that you will have to remove. Turn the shaft so the hole lines up the nuts. Spin the nuts off and the shaft should slide right out with bearing and all. I can't remember, but I think there is a bearing retainer ring that holds the bearing in place on the shaft. The big thing is to place the new bearing in the same spot as the old. To remove the bearing retainer take a punch/cold chisel and break the retainer. They tend to break easily. Most of the time, you will not be able to remove the bearing without removing the retainer first. The bearing usually comes off really easy then. The retainer is more of a PITA than anything. There is also a gasket that you will either need to purchase or make. It seals the flange to the backing plate. I have heard of people using blue rtv gasket maker. Not sure if that works but that is up to you.

 

If I remember correctly, I borrowed a bearing puller and big slide hammer kit from Checker/O'Reily, which cost me nothing (you leave a deposit for the tools and get it back when you return them), that made it easy to get the bearing out. When installing the new bearing, drive it in with a socket that is about the same diameter as the bearing so as not to distort it. Be careful to get it lined up perfectly when you're starting it. And do make sure your brake cylinder isn't part of the problem. As long as you're already in there . . . Good luck.

 

The bearing is pressed onto the shaft, not into the axle housing so a socket won't work unless it is a 28" deep well socket.

 

It'll have a 9" .. as long as it doesn't have Limited Slip. If it has Limited Slip, it's either a Dana 44 or Dana 60-2. 1959/67, some 1968 F100's with Limited Slip usually have Dana 44's, but...

The Dana 60-2 w/Limited Slip was also available as an option in 1963/66 F100's. 9" with Limited Slip wasn't offered until mid-year 1968 in F100's.

Dana axles have an inspection cover, the 9" does not.

 

If you have the Ford 9 inch axle, page 4-22 of the 1966 Ford Truck Shop Manual shows an exploded view of the axle. From outside heading toward the pumpkin, the parts are arranged as follows: Axle shaft, upon which are loaded the bearing retainer, gasket, bearing, bearing ring, SEAL, and flange gasket. All of this lives within a very short distance of the axle flange. You will not need a 28 inch deep well socket. Of course if you have a different axle, all bets are off.