I need to change the rear axle seals in my right rear axle it is leaking differential fluid out I have heard to go ahead and do both sides at the same time and change the bearings also.

I need help on how do you go about getting the rear axles out and do I have to take them to a machine shop to get the bearings pressed off and have them pressed back on.

Are there any special tools that I will need to get or rent.

Thanks

 

If you have a f150, you have a Ford 8.8 rear axle (if you have a f250 this wil not help). The bearings are pressed into the axle tube, not on the axle shaft. It would be a good idea to buy/rent a bearing puller. That would be the only special tool you would need.
To remove the axles:
Disconnect rear driveshaft from differential.
Remove the wheels.
Remove brake drums.
Remove the diff cover and drain.
Remove pinionshaft and c-clips holding axles in differential.
Remove axles.

This is just an overview. Please buy a service manual for the complete description. We can help you with any problems you have along the way.

Al

 

Al... you're right on the money except there's no need to disconnect the rear driveshaft.

 

what are the pinonshaft that you are talking about and the c clips


I stopped at autozone and they have a axle bearing puller will in need the bearing driver to install the new seal in the axle tube

I purchased the bearings at napa and they came with they seals already installed on the bearing assembly does this sound right thanks again

 

the truck does not have a 8.8 inch rear end I dont know if this changes anything

 

When you take the diff cover off, you'll see the a big shiny shaft running throught the middle of the diff, and retained with 1 bolt in the end at a right angle to the shaft. Remove this bolt and push the shaft out. Then you will have to push an axle in slightly and remove the C-clip before pulling the axle out. The c-clip keeps the axles from falling out, and the pinion shaft keeps the c-clips from falling out under normal operation.

 

Yeah.. that changes everythig. So what size truck is this(F250/F350..) and what axle does it have in it?

 

it is a 5 lub pattern some of the pics that i have seen on the internet it looks like a 10 inch the truck is a F150 4X4 the pumpkin cover does not look like a 8.8 inch cover as you are looking at the cover from the rear of the truck it has a raised looking section on the left side it looks like the 8.8 is a smooth round cover the one installed in my truck you have to take the cover off to drain it and the fill plug is on the front side by the driveshaft

 

Go here and see if you can identify it....
http://www.onandoffroad4wheeldrive.com/axle_pics.htm

What you describe sounds like an 8.8 though...

 

is there a way to post pics on here

 

I believe that you are thinkin of just the ford 8" or 9" the 8.8 should be whats in your truck with the bump on the left side

 

He most likely has the 8.8.
I have an 88 8.8 on my 95.
not that it makes me an expert.

I'm not sure on putting the bearings in, but the steps are as they were above.

Remove the rear breaks.
pull the diff cover, and drain.
Remove the lockerpin for the pinion thing in the middle. spin the differential till you find it. unbold that, 1 bolt, and the center pin will slide out, and your spider gears will fall out, then you can get those c clips out simply by pushing the axles in past the big sprnig thing in there. they should come off without removeing the spring.
after that c clip is off, just pull the axle right out.
Use a bearing puller to pull the bearings, and then how you get them in. I dont know.
I'd probably put them in myself some way i am not going to mention here.

 

does the 8.8 inch have a drain plug on the cover I dont have a drain plug on the cover the cover is round and has two half moon cut outs on the bottom of the cover I cant get a pic in here or I am doing something wrong

 

When I did mine the carrier retaining bolt broke off. Not a giant deal, I was able to get it out. I had to get a new bolt, there are washers inside there on the spider gears, mine were all worn out and I wanted to change them.

My pinion bolt had come loose years ago, I noticed some oil under the rear end one day and tighted it with a air wrench.

I think this might be why there was wear on the washers. I put all new washers and a new carrier retaining bolt in when I changed the seals and bearings.

You can look on the cab sticker by the drivers side door latch. If your axle code is 19 you have the standard 8.8 non-limited slip 3.55 gears. Out of all the trucks I have seen in the junk yard this is the only code I have ever seen so it must have been pretty standard.

Support the back end with jack stands, take off your tires, pull the brake drums, pop off the diff cover, remove the carrier retaining bolt, it will probably break off, f around trying to get the other piece out, get the spiders out, pull the c-clips that retain the axles, pull the axles, change the bearings and the seals, my seals where a pain in the A to get out, put everything together in reverse order. Use diff cover sealer to seal it. It is red, works the best, fill with oil, run it, check the oil.

Check for pitting on the axles when you remove them. If the axles look really bad where they ride in the bearing and where the seal rides you may need to replace them. I think there are sleeve kits you can install on the axle as well that require a different seal and bearing if the axle's look really bad. I don't know anything about these kits.

If you have another vehicle you may want to take your truck a part first then go get parts.

Hope that helps.

 

i think that all of the ford trucks 87-96, or atleast the f 150s had the 8.8 but the f250s and 350s had a bigger dana 60. correct me if im wrong.