Just a FYI. With about 85,000 miles on my 2001, I uncovered the rear wheel bearing seals and found both sides were leaking gear lube onto the emergency parking brake shoes and drum. I have the disk brakes on the rear, but the gear lube leak remained hidden inside the parking brake drum/shoe area. If you've not checked yours yet and you have higher mileage, might be worth a peek.

I'll be pulling both rear hubs and replacing both seals soon. Will see what shape the wheel bearings are in when I've got them out.

On another note, I removed/deleted the emergency parking brake shoes on my SD - forever. I found that the right rear parking brake assembly had come apart and parking brake shoes, parts and pieces were grinding away inside the parking brake drum. I've decided that this Ford emergency/parking brake design is problematic and not worth the effort to maintain, for my own use and needs. Just one week prior, my daughter brought her 2001 Ford Explorer over for me to check out because she was getting obnoxious noises from her rear axle. Turned out her driver side parking brake had come unglued also, and parts and pieces were binding up and grinding away inside. The failure on the Explorer was violent enough that it actually bent the disk brake caliper mount off to the side. I had to bend/break it and then re-weld it to get the new disk brake pads back into alignment with the rotor.

The parking brake design on her Exploder and the Super Duty are identical. Encountering the two identical problems within 1 week was enough for me to delete the emergency parking brakes on my Super Duty. By the way, I have one good set of emergency parking brake shoes from the driver's side, and hardware. Should anyone have the need or interest, and want to pay the postage - they're free for the taking.

 

I had the exact same thing happen on our Navigator driving across Tennessee last fall. Pulled over and gutted the E-brakes in a parking lot in Jackson Tn. and the rest of the trip was silky smooth. My truck is a manual, so I need the e-brake. Have to replace parts when they wear out.

I was going to remind you that you need a spindle nut socket to get the hubs off the 10.5", but from the look of your sig you've got plenty of experience with drivetrain work.

 

Hey Scott,
Thanks for posting the Thread covering your replacement of the rear axle seals and a failed rear wheel bearing on your rig. I found your historical Thread with a Forum search. The information you provided in that Thread has prepared me well for my own rear seal replacement work. I've purchased one of the spindle nut sockets you identified, and will probably be doing this maintenance work in the next week or two.

Based on your experience with a failed rear wheel bearing, I'll also closely inspect my right rear wheel bearings while they're out. I can hear a very subtle noise, and feel the slightest pattern of thumping, coming from my rear passenger-side hub. That's with the front wheels chocked, the rear wheels jack-standed off the ground and rotating in Drive with the truck at idle. That's how I initially heard the noise coming from the blown out emergency parking brake also. After I removed the parking brakes, I still feel/hear the slightest of thumping from the passenger side.

Paul

 

Excellent! Glad I could help.

I had to look that thread up.... I had forgotten about it. Not sure why I didn't follow up on it, but it you can hear it, you had better plan on finding a bad bearing.

 

Yup, I agree. I've got one set of bearings/races ordered, as well as two new seals. If I need new bearings, I'll have the one set available. If my bearings look good, I'll keep both the bearings and the spindle nut socket in the truck, in case I ever have the need while traveling.

 

Yup. That socket hasn't left my toolbox since then. It's one of the things I don't leave home without.