Ford 9" question
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Colorful Colorado
Ford 9" question
good afternoon,
I have a 1977 Ford F-150 Reg Cab 4x4. There rear differential is leaking bad so I have decided to rip it apart to investigate. I have 3 questions here.
First, the Chilton manual says not to disturb the backing plate on the axle...my question of course is simply "why not?".
Second, after pulling the axles there are some definite grooves in the axle sleeves (axle tubes?). They are on both sides and I don't know if this is a factory grove or if the axle got loose and made this groove (kind of strange that it is uniform on both sides). If it is not factory, then I will need to look at replacing these parts, or since this is not where the problem is (appears that the O ring has gone out throwing gear oil through the pinion) if I would be allright just putting her back together as is.
Last but not least, does anybody have the torque specs on this rear end so I can get it back to how is was.
Let me know what you know.
Thanks,
grizz
I have a 1977 Ford F-150 Reg Cab 4x4. There rear differential is leaking bad so I have decided to rip it apart to investigate. I have 3 questions here.
First, the Chilton manual says not to disturb the backing plate on the axle...my question of course is simply "why not?".
Second, after pulling the axles there are some definite grooves in the axle sleeves (axle tubes?). They are on both sides and I don't know if this is a factory grove or if the axle got loose and made this groove (kind of strange that it is uniform on both sides). If it is not factory, then I will need to look at replacing these parts, or since this is not where the problem is (appears that the O ring has gone out throwing gear oil through the pinion) if I would be allright just putting her back together as is.
Last but not least, does anybody have the torque specs on this rear end so I can get it back to how is was.
Let me know what you know.
Thanks,
grizz
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
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The axles can be removed without disturbing the backing plate.
http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us...rInfoPages.htm
All the info you ask would be readily available in the drivetrain forum where rear axle topics are best asked as that's where the drivetrain guys hang out.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum69/
http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us...rInfoPages.htm
All the info you ask would be readily available in the drivetrain forum where rear axle topics are best asked as that's where the drivetrain guys hang out.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum69/
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,118
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From: Williamson, NY
I overhauled my 9" axle replacing the seals, gaskets, and bearings w/o using a torque wrench on the pinion nut. I first marked the pinion nut and pinion with a punch and also counted the # of exposed threads on the pinion shaft above the nut. Then I used an Impact gun to remove/install the pinion nut and replaced the pinion seal and then I reinstalled the nut with some thread locker back to its original position + an 1/8" past the original marks (make sure you have the same number of exposed threads above the nut).
I not sure about the grooves you are talking about, do you have ant pictures? Here are some pics of my axle rebuild:
I not sure about the grooves you are talking about, do you have ant pictures? Here are some pics of my axle rebuild:
Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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If you removed or loosened the pinion nut, you MUST replace the crush sleeve and re-torque the pinion nut. You must torque the pinion nut until you get the required pre-load on the pinion. (preload is rotating torque measured with a special torque wrench). If the pre-load is not set correct you run the risk of pinion bearing falure. You can try and mark the nut or some other method that may or may not work but this is the correct way to do it. No offense to anyone else that has their own method but I believe in doing things right the first time by the book.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 232
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From: Rhode Island
I have just taken mine apart in the last month and have the same 'grooves'. To me they look like 'false-cuts' by a boring bar not anything done by something within the axle housings. As far as the Chilton book advising not to disturb the backing plates; the most logical reason I can think of is that they would be hanging from the brake tubing if they fell off the T-bolts. The Chilton book doesn't seem to get too involved in many things.
Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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The shim you are talking about adjusts pinion depth and is located between the carrier housing and the pinion assembly and has 5 bolt holes in it. There may be multiple shims if your rear end has been rebuilt before and you must put all of them back and not damage them. The crush sleeve is located between the two pinion bearings. You can not see it unless you remove the pinion out of the pinion housing. The crush sleeve looks like a short piece of tubing with a bump in the center of it. As you tighten the pinion nut, this sleeve crushes down and keeps pressure between the two pinion bearings to make sure the preload does not change after it is properly torqued. Crush sleeves are cheap and easy to find. The torque wrench to read the pre-load however is not cheap. It has a dial on it and reads in inch pounds. You can not use a "click" type because you have to measure the torque while you are slowly rotating the pinion in the pinion assembly without it attached to the carrier. 99.99999% of 9" Ford rear ends use a crush sleeve.
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Senior User
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From: Colorful Colorado
I see. The collapsible spacer and the crush sleeve must be one in the same. I am getting a hand on this slang talk for items under the hood.
For example, I searched forever for a "rag joint" and I could not find one. Finally I spoke to an old Ford tech who advised to ask for a Steering Coupler and I had no problem finding them.
Thanks Dennis for directing me to the AutoZone site. There is a lot of useful information there.
Buzzman, you have eliminated my concern of the grooves, I appreciate that.
This project started out as a simple sand and paint job and has progressed into a very time consuming and expensive undertaking. In the end though I will be proud of what I end up with. Thanks for all of your help.
Time to put this thing together.
For example, I searched forever for a "rag joint" and I could not find one. Finally I spoke to an old Ford tech who advised to ask for a Steering Coupler and I had no problem finding them.
Thanks Dennis for directing me to the AutoZone site. There is a lot of useful information there.
Buzzman, you have eliminated my concern of the grooves, I appreciate that.
This project started out as a simple sand and paint job and has progressed into a very time consuming and expensive undertaking. In the end though I will be proud of what I end up with. Thanks for all of your help.
Time to put this thing together.
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