I've got a 1980 F250 4x4 with a Dana 50 front-end. The front's got a pretty bad leak somewhere around the differential. Since the designer was bright enough to not put a diff cover on this assembly (sheer genius, I tell ya), it looks like I have to tear the whole thing apart just to replace the gasket.

My Chilton's wasn't terribly helpful regarding disassembly - I'm concerned since the case extends all the way to the knuckles, etc.. So, assuming I just remove the 10-ish bolts around the front of the diff, will the front case then swing away? Is any part of the assembly under tension from the suspension - do I need to jack the truck up so that the axle is unsprung, etc? I can't really tell just from looking at it?

Thanks.

 

I am no mechanic, but I just pulled out my entire axle assembly. You will have to support your truck by the leaf springs or frame to unweight the axles/arms.
I didn't have any tension on mine, other than the weight of the thing.

I pulled the left drive axle out of the carrier (punkin) after removing the automatic hubs. I seperated the right drive axle at the slip yoke, removed the front driveshaft and then unbolted the carrier (the 10 bolts and 2 larger ones on the left side). I was able to worm the carrier out of the "arm"/housing". I didn't see how I was going to be able to put it back in ( without smearing the form a gasket all over) later without pulling the "arms" out so I remove the pivot bushing bolts and the leaf spring u bolts and pulled the arms. I am going to assemble the arm and carrier and then install it as a unit.

While I had everything torn apart, I am doing the carrier left and right axle seals, as well as replacing the spindle hub seals and spindle hub dust seals, and installing a new (longer) breather tube. I also am replacing the drive axle u-joints, just so I don't have to do it later.

I have found most of the seals at Napa, they also have the clamps for the boot on the right drive axle.

1993 f250 diesel

Good luck.