found out my rear end had been leaking for some time... last week I had it filled up... Just today I was helping people move and all the driving with it loaded up seemed to make it leak out quicker.

I had to swing by a friends house and pop the cover off the rear end. changed the oil in it. only about a quart came out, it took almost a gallon to fill it back up... used some orange silicone to seal it back up.


I am very un happy with what I found. The cover is made of fiberglass!!!! have your doubts, take yours off and check it out yourself... I was amazed when I pulled it off and noticed two spots chipped off of it, that's how I figured out it was fiberglass. I also know how it got broke, some idiot who did the brakes a while back put a jack under there, probably not knowing it was fiberglass, jack slipped a little and cracked it....

What other ford cars have the same size ten bolt rear? I need a new cover, and want a metal one If available....

what kind of idiots does ford have working for them, that would suggest using fiberglass on a rear end cover, to cut costs???? I'd have to be an idiot to buy another Fix Or Repair Daily after this... what else will I find? is the engine block fiber glass too? I mean they knew it was a common jack spot, why make it from fiberglass????? just for the record I was not the one who jacked it up there.


-Mike-

 

I've never heard of this one, a fiberglass cover on the rear end.

There are a lot of other parts made of fiberglass to save weight:

On the Aerostar, the hood and the rear hatch.

On some cars, the intake manifold and valve covers.

On my 87 Mustang, the front bumper is fiberglass.

You can get a steel cover for your rear end from most scrap yards. I think all Aerostars came with the 8.8" axle, which is used in a lot of rear drive cars (Mustang, Ranger, Explorer, Crown Vic...)

You can also get a thick cast aluminum version from a couple of aftermarket places. Most of these can be gotten with a differential stbilizer. It will help the rear end hold up to all the load that it can experience from the things that Aerostar owners put their vans through, and all that power put out by those super engines that come in them.

A leak at the rear cover is easy to fix. At least yours isn't leaking from the pinion like mine.

eugene

 

Just as an aside to 'making parts out of fiberglass, plastics' back in the late '70s Ford took a stock displacement Pinto style motor. They made the block, valve stems and other parts out of ceramics and other light weight materials. I need to see if I can find the article again. Anyway this stock dimension four cylinder made over 400 hp, could run up to 10,000 rpm and lasted twice the normal dyno time as required for a cast iron engine. They could not market it because the block had no sound deading to it and it made more noise than an old style diesel. In some cases light weight material is not what should be used and sometimes yes.

 

You might be able to get a metal (chrome, even) cover from Ford Racing parts. I've seen one, but can't remember whether it was for the 8.8 or 7.5 inch rear end or both. I don't think the regular Ford parts sells a metal replacement. The fiberglass cover was only about $14 a few years ago.

 

Sorry about my diss on ford... just a little frustrated at all the repairs needed....


I will check at a local salvage yard for a cover.