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ford 9 inch emergency help needed
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 6
From: Vine Grove KY
ford 9 inch emergency help needed
Guys, I tried posting a new thread for this a minute ago and got an error so please forgive me if it pops up twice.
I am stranded at work with a leaking axle seal. Its leaking bad. I have never replaced anything on a ford 9 inch.
Can I run to the parts store, get a new seal, and throw the seal in easily? Do I need any special tools (presses, pullers, installers) to fix this seal?
I need to do bearings also, but I need to just get the seal fixed so i can get it home. Please, anybody who is a 9 inch guru please tell me what I need and what steps I am going to have to take. I will just do the one side tonight so i can drive it home and work on it this weekend.
Please Help. Thanks
I am stranded at work with a leaking axle seal. Its leaking bad. I have never replaced anything on a ford 9 inch.
Can I run to the parts store, get a new seal, and throw the seal in easily? Do I need any special tools (presses, pullers, installers) to fix this seal?
I need to do bearings also, but I need to just get the seal fixed so i can get it home. Please, anybody who is a 9 inch guru please tell me what I need and what steps I am going to have to take. I will just do the one side tonight so i can drive it home and work on it this weekend.
Please Help. Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
Which seal is leaking? Pinion seal? Axle bearing seal?
Pinion seal is not an easy job, in that when you put it back together, you have to get the pre-load on the pinion bearing correct.
Axle bearing seals are a bear. You have to pull the bearing off to change the seal. That is not an "in the parking lot at work" job. You have to drill/chisel/cut the retaining sleeve off, then you have to pull the bearing (which I have done by pulling the outer race, cut the cage and remove the rollers, then cut 3/4 of the way through the inner race with a dremel, then crack the inner race with a chisel). Then, if you get everything off, you will need a 12 ton press to put the new seal, bearing, and retainer sleeve back onto the axle.
Is it leaking so badly that you can't top it off with gear oil and drive home?
Pinion seal is not an easy job, in that when you put it back together, you have to get the pre-load on the pinion bearing correct.
Axle bearing seals are a bear. You have to pull the bearing off to change the seal. That is not an "in the parking lot at work" job. You have to drill/chisel/cut the retaining sleeve off, then you have to pull the bearing (which I have done by pulling the outer race, cut the cage and remove the rollers, then cut 3/4 of the way through the inner race with a dremel, then crack the inner race with a chisel). Then, if you get everything off, you will need a 12 ton press to put the new seal, bearing, and retainer sleeve back onto the axle.
Is it leaking so badly that you can't top it off with gear oil and drive home?
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
Ford 9 inch has the seals inboard of the bearings. If you haven't completely destroyed a bearing you can change it. The axle itself is pretty easy, remove the wheel and brake drum. In the axle flange you will see a large hole between 2 studs. By rotating the axle you can line it up with the 4 nuts that hold the bearing retainer in.
Here is where it gets interesting, the axle is supposed to just pull out, it may, or 25+ years of being in place the bearing may be rusted to the housing, if it is you need an axle puller. Once the axle is out, the seal will be visible at the inner edge of the recess in the housing.
You can get it out with a screwdriver, getting the new one in is more fun. It has to be put in straight. If you can borrow or rent a suitable seal driver it would help. If not, a large brass drift, and carefully drive it in. Good luck with it.
Here is where it gets interesting, the axle is supposed to just pull out, it may, or 25+ years of being in place the bearing may be rusted to the housing, if it is you need an axle puller. Once the axle is out, the seal will be visible at the inner edge of the recess in the housing.
You can get it out with a screwdriver, getting the new one in is more fun. It has to be put in straight. If you can borrow or rent a suitable seal driver it would help. If not, a large brass drift, and carefully drive it in. Good luck with it.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
Ford 9 inch has the seals inboard of the bearings. If you haven't completely destroyed a bearing you can change it. The axle itself is pretty easy, remove the wheel and brake drum. In the axle flange you will see a large hole between 2 studs. By rotating the axle you can line it up with the 4 nuts that hold the bearing retainer in.
Here is where it gets interesting, the axle is supposed to just pull out, it may, or 25+ years of being in place the bearing may be rusted to the housing, if it is you need an axle puller. Once the axle is out, the seal will be visible at the inner edge of the recess in the housing.
You can get it out with a screwdriver, getting the new one in is more fun. It has to be put in straight. If you can borrow or rent a suitable seal driver it would help. If not, a large brass drift, and carefully drive it in. Good luck with it.
Here is where it gets interesting, the axle is supposed to just pull out, it may, or 25+ years of being in place the bearing may be rusted to the housing, if it is you need an axle puller. Once the axle is out, the seal will be visible at the inner edge of the recess in the housing.
You can get it out with a screwdriver, getting the new one in is more fun. It has to be put in straight. If you can borrow or rent a suitable seal driver it would help. If not, a large brass drift, and carefully drive it in. Good luck with it.
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
RE: Ford 9 inch emergency help needed
On my 77 F150, 9 inch with the HD roller bearings, there was still an inboard seal, The wheel bearings themselves were sealed also. Maybe they changed after 77?
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
As I think about this more, I seem to recall that Ford used 2 versions of the 9" rear in our trucks. The higher load rated one (3950 lbs ?) used tapered roller bearings with the seal outboard of the bearing. The lower load rated version (not sure the weight) had sealed ball bearings IIRC. On those, the seal is integral with the bearing.
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Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
My 77 had the 3950 I think axle, I never had to change the bearings, but they were shown as some type of roller, I know it was one tough rear, last seen it was running around the Ft. Hood area in Texas after my son traded it in on a big econoline with a 460. Supposedly, some farmer wanted it bad, it had a 390 4V camper special engine in it.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,983
Likes: 2,736
From: Virginia
As I think about this more, I seem to recall that Ford used 2 versions of the 9" rear in our trucks. The higher load rated one (3950 lbs ?) used tapered roller bearings with the seal outboard of the bearing. The lower load rated version (not sure the weight) had sealed ball bearings IIRC. On those, the seal is integral with the bearing.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 6
From: Vine Grove KY
However, I had a wheel bearing grind that i thought was coming from the front drivers wheel. After replacing the disc/hub bearings and seals up fron thte noise was still there. maybe the back axle bearing is wearing so much that the axle is no longer concentric to the seal, creating a gap causing the leak.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 6
From: Vine Grove KY
Which seal is leaking? Pinion seal? Axle bearing seal?
Pinion seal is not an easy job, in that when you put it back together, you have to get the pre-load on the pinion bearing correct.
Axle bearing seals are a bear. You have to pull the bearing off to change the seal. That is not an "in the parking lot at work" job. You have to drill/chisel/cut the retaining sleeve off, then you have to pull the bearing (which I have done by pulling the outer race, cut the cage and remove the rollers, then cut 3/4 of the way through the inner race with a dremel, then crack the inner race with a chisel). Then, if you get everything off, you will need a 12 ton press to put the new seal, bearing, and retainer sleeve back onto the axle.
Is it leaking so badly that you can't top it off with gear oil and drive home?
Pinion seal is not an easy job, in that when you put it back together, you have to get the pre-load on the pinion bearing correct.
Axle bearing seals are a bear. You have to pull the bearing off to change the seal. That is not an "in the parking lot at work" job. You have to drill/chisel/cut the retaining sleeve off, then you have to pull the bearing (which I have done by pulling the outer race, cut the cage and remove the rollers, then cut 3/4 of the way through the inner race with a dremel, then crack the inner race with a chisel). Then, if you get everything off, you will need a 12 ton press to put the new seal, bearing, and retainer sleeve back onto the axle.
Is it leaking so badly that you can't top it off with gear oil and drive home?
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,983
Likes: 2,736
From: Virginia
Its the drivers side axle tube seal I believe. I smelled gear oil when I got out of my truck this morning and sure enough there was a pool of gear oil surrounding my rear tire. The wheel well is coated with oil. Do you think I could top it off and drive 17 miles home?
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 6
From: Vine Grove KY
Well...is replacing the wheel bearing something I can do here? I have a machine shop here at work. We build robotics. I do have a standard hydraulic press, but i don't see how I could press a bearing or race onto such a long axle shaft with it.