Well, it happened. I finally got paint on her (ESVE). With the engine out, parts all over the house, and finally at the point of stitching her back together. I noticed that the rear end leaking at the driveshaft and inner wheel. That's alright, it's another opportunity to take care of something before she's together and ready to ride. My question is, I believe that I have the ford 9", the plate says has "08". This should be a (Ford WDM-J-W-T)photo attached. I believe that I have the right seal for the hog's head to the axle housing and the seal in front of the flange. My concern is the grease coming from the inner wheel. I look on youtube and folks speak of the seal being between the bearing and the wheel. I look on the manual page 4-22 and it shows the seal on the other side of the retainer ring. If the seal that needs to be replaced is on the inside of the retainer ring, then I don't need to replace the bearings, right? Thanks in advance for the advice. I'll post photos of what she looks like all dressed up and ready to take out.

 

Just pull the axle, the bearing and retainer ring is all one unit and the seal will be visible in the axle tube end.

 

Looking at the pictures I believe the center section has been changed at some time. They only had a fill plug on the housing or in the center section not both. If that center has a fill plug in it, it likely isn't the original. If you pull it, you can count teeth and tell what ratio it is. Those axle seals can be difficult to remove if you don't have a slide hammer.

 

I have always just used the tip of the axle to pop the seal out. But that's me.

 

She leaks oil, she has oil

I would pull the axles and replace everything since you are there. I use a thin layer of Form-a-gasket on the gaskets as a pre-caution. Put some oil on the lip of the seal, otherwise you might damage the lip if it is completely dry and you insert the axle.

 

Thanks for the help, but I don't know if I'm holding my tongue the right way or what. Every one of the YouTube videos on the 9" rear end shows taking off the four bolts and it slides out like butter. Me, I pull and pull, denied. Reverse the brake drum, bang, bang, denied. Take the neanderthal approach and bang it with a stick and sit there like a monkey with a math problem. I don't what I'm doing wrong, but am willing to try anything prior to paying someone 100/hr to do the same thing I was trying.

 

The shop manual shows using a combination of a slide hammer and a tool that attaches to the axle flange. I'd imagine the bearing can get a bit stuck in there and you'd have to break it free of the end of the axle housing.

 

You maybe able to borrow an axle puller at a auto parts store. O'Rieley or Autozone..

 

Hook a 3ft. chain to the lug bolts. Put both feet on the springs. Jerk like hell. Ware a cup.

 

I watched my uncle one time work on a particularly stubborn axle and he hooked about at least a 10 foot long heavy chain to the lug bolts and then stood back and whipped the chain with a certain authority. Took a lot of tries still but it broke loose eventually. Looking back now I wonder if he had a slide hammer or not.