Replacing Wheel Bearings Question
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Replacing Wheel Bearings Question
I need to replace the rear wheel bearings on my 95 F150 2WD. It has the 8.8 rear with LS. Does anyone have any advice or tips for doing this. I have new bearings, seals and diff fluid, and the LS additive. Do I need anything else? Is there a special tool needed to remove the bearings from the axle housing? Also, How do you remove the C-clips that hold the axles in. I have seen a picture of this for an open differential, but not for a LS differential.
Thanks
Thanks
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Grove City, PA USA
The 8.8 axle uses C clips on the inboard end of the axle shafts. You have to remove the cover and then the pinion gear shaft (becareful not to break the lock bolt off) and then remove the shaft and the gears and thrust washers. Then you can slide the axle toward the middle to remove the c-clip and pull the axle out of the housing. You need a press to remove the bearing from the shaft and to reinstall the new one.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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Yeah gatesj, I forgot to mention that. I know about the slide hammer. I don't know where to get one though. How much does it cost to buy one?
Thanks clerk, I wasn't aware that the gears had to be taken out to access the C-clips and release the axles.
Thanks clerk, I wasn't aware that the gears had to be taken out to access the C-clips and release the axles.
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From: Remsen, NY
Originally Posted by TexasGuy001
Yeah gatesj, I forgot to mention that. I know about the slide hammer. I don't know where to get one though. How much does it cost to buy one?
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Posting Guru
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From: Remsen, NY
Just wondering how you know these are bad? Do they rumble or grind really bad? Is it loud? They are not a part that goes bad very often, right? I am trying to figure out how I would hear it with mud tires and I have been wondering if they were OK for a while now......
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Originally Posted by gatesj
I think I've seen them at NAPA for about $60? I was a little off though, I think it's just the seals you pull with the slide hammer? I am fuzzy on it though. Maybe one bearing race out of the axle tube too?
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I have found out that the slide hammer is for the bearings. The bearings are pressed into the axle housing. On my 65 Mustang they are pressed on the axle shaft. I'm pretty sure they are bad because they pop and groan sometimes they squeel. I originally thought it was U joints but after replacing them nothing changed. When I jack up the truck and have it in neutral the axles don't feel smooth when turning. I have had the differentail cover off and serviced it at the same time I replaced the U joints. Everything in there looked good and there wasn't any slop or play in anything. One question I do have is this. I have had the axles out of our old F150 to replace the seals. It was an open or one wheel wonder differential. I have a limited slip. Do I have to do anything different to pull the axles with LS?
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From: Columbia,S.C.
I just had to put seals in mine. At first i thought it was a wheel piston because of how the fluid was coming out and after take'n the drum off it was plain to see. All i had to do with mine was pull cover,remove pinion shaft,push in on axel and take out the c-clip, slide out axel,the bearing and seal can be pulled out at the same time with a slide hammer at this point.
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Well, I got the project completed. As it turns out the problem was the differential carrier bearings or the inner axle bearing. Anyway, one of them completely disintigrated. Neadless to say that made this project take twice as long. But everything is replaced now. I do have one question, does anyone know what the torque specification is for the carrier bearing caps? That is the 4 bolts that hold the 2 brackets on either side of the differential. The Chilton's and Hayne's manuals that I have don't mention that anywhere that I can see.
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From: S.E. Michigan
Axle shaft removal
If you need to remove an axle shaft that is pressed into the axle housing and don't have a slide hammer, try this, it'll work every time.
Take a piece of chain with 3/8 dia. links and about 6-8 ft. long, (log chain) place one end over a stud and put on the lug nut to secure it. Strech the chain loosly out in length and give i mild whip and lightly pull on it as the recoil of the chain reaches the axle. Out pops the axle with bearing intact (if it's pressed onto the axle shaft) Be sure that all necessary clips or retainers are removed.
This may take a couple attempts until you get the hang of it, but it works every time, and you have a peice of chain to attach to your winch cable the next time you use it & keep it from whipping you in the event the cable were to break under stress.
Take a piece of chain with 3/8 dia. links and about 6-8 ft. long, (log chain) place one end over a stud and put on the lug nut to secure it. Strech the chain loosly out in length and give i mild whip and lightly pull on it as the recoil of the chain reaches the axle. Out pops the axle with bearing intact (if it's pressed onto the axle shaft) Be sure that all necessary clips or retainers are removed.
This may take a couple attempts until you get the hang of it, but it works every time, and you have a peice of chain to attach to your winch cable the next time you use it & keep it from whipping you in the event the cable were to break under stress.
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