first post, new to 7.3 diesel. It’s a 1995 xlt 7.3 2wd extend cab with 4.10. With 215k miles.
I have had the truck about a year and done some basic mods like most. Bone stock when I got it. It has a unique feature of 2 independent seats in front with arm rests and hard center console, not a bench seat like I see frequently. Done all the maintenance/reliability stuff suggested through my research, oil changes @5k with arch oil additives, new JWood VB and tranny fluid change with upgraded pan, 3” down pipe to 4”, ebpv deleted with pedestal and 6637, etc.

Want to get truck in good condition before I move forward. I’m Now In process of a Building DIY 66/88 turbo with quality parts
and starting to source diy intercooler next. Plan is new sticks and fuel pump in summer.

But.....Now
I have a squeal or better yet a squeak, not a grind or humming noise, coming from rear driver side tire area. It’s progressively louder as I accelerate. It’s constant! Brakes feel good but I have noticed brake light on dash comes on monetary in morning but shuts off soon after I get going moving.

My question is, what’s best way to diagnose if it’s the drum brake shoes or bearings? or do both? Or am I just assuming. Haven’t looked into it yet but plan is to take of tire this weekend.

if bearings, I’d appreciate a link to assembly and parts/tools I need. Do these rear hub bearings get packed? Done the YouTube thing looking for videos and confused me more about correct procedure.

btw, original plan this weekend was to install my gauges but I need to attack this “Squeak” first.

better to come here to receive quality instruction!

Thanks
Jeremy

 

The rear axle bearings are lubed by oil from the rear pumpkin. When the hub is removed, you loose the oil in the hub, and there is no good way to refill the hub on reinstallation. So a light packing of the bearings with grease is a good idea to keep the bearings lubed until the oil from the pumpkin works its way down the axle tubes to the hubs. Your squeak could be coming from the rear U joint. Look for rust coming from around the caps. Park the truck on level ground, block the tires, put the tranny in neutral and get under the truck and give the driveshaft a good shake while watching the joints for any movement.

 

thanks. I looked at rear pumpkin and found lowest bolt was loose. Tighten it and checked others. Also a bracket that hold what looks like rear sway bar that rides over rear axel was loose too. I see old grim at base of pumpkin but no visible drip on ground.

what oil and/or additive should I use when refilling pumpkin?

how do I determine what bearing parts I need to purchase? Is there way to Identify on hub or in Vin label?

thanks for your time buddy!
jeremy

 

I use plane old 80W90 gear oil in mine. If you have the limited slip option in your truck, they call for an additive for the clutches in the limited slip. Your truck has the Sterling 10.25 rear axle, and you can look at the door tag for the axle code and it will tell you if it has the limited slip option. Look here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nfo-links.html under axle codes to see what your code on the door tag means. The Bearings and cups will have a number on them, but I doubt that is where the squeak is coming from. In my 40 plus years of wrenching on my these trucks, I have only seen 1 rear wheel bearing failure.

 

Timken bearings are good. I have 25k or so on mine thus far, no issues.

I would top the axle off immediately with whatever weight oil you have on hand. Then drain and fill it a few times if you can. It took two drain and fills to get mine clean, you MAY be able to stick a heavy duty rare earth magnet on the inside of the cover to really keep the fluid clean.

 

could be pinion bearing went
hope there is fluid left in the diff

When in doubt, add friction modifier stuff as it wont hurt anything.

 

Checked:
hub-good as far as wheel free play.
differential- drained, changed fluid with friction modifier additive. Cleaned and painted cover. No leaking now. Was a pain to refill. Will use a pump in future and probably remove spare tire next time too.
u-joints- checked and good

still squeaking!

then pulled tire and checked drum shoes and saw a broken bottom spring. Purchased spring kit from Napa ($12) and now no squeaking! Sometimes through process of elimination you accomplish many tasks. Now onto continuing Mods.

jeremy

 

Nice easy fix.

 

Glad you found the problem!

 

That’s good news, and it probably stops better too