REAR AXLE QUESTION!!
 

I have an 05, f150, 4x4, 5.4l, 122K miles

Stock rear axle is a V953 J, 9.75 ring gear, 3:73 ratio, limited slip

This rear axle needs to be rebuilt for $1100.00 or I can get an

S923 (?) (couldn't read letter) 9.75 rg, 3:73 ratio, lim. slip axle for $100.00. Either 2000 or 2001 year

Question is, will it work correctly on my truck? Any comments or suggestions?

Any salvage yard should have an interchange book that will answer your question , but Im sure there are some here that know

Axle tubes, or the entire assembly with ring gear etc?
One thing to consider, the axle shafts themselves on 97-2003 model year trucks are 5 lugs. 2004+ is 6 lug. You could change out the shafts, but I think you'd be better off with an entire assembly from 04+

ojai150, I didn't know that about the interchange book thanx

MCDavis, After looking closely at my axle, I agree with you about getting one from my year group. Aside from the $$$ savings, the appeal was the easy "off with the old and on with the new" and done!

If I was a little more brave I would rebuild my axle but I've never done it or seen it done. I can do almost anything I decide to do with a manual at my side. I can't seem to find any good manuals or how to books for ford differentials. Most have a lot of vague info., more for the differential tech.

Setting up a ring and pinion is an art which requires knowledge and experience. BTW, what happened to the rear in the first place?

1saxman: I agree. If it needs a rebuild I will leave it to the pros or just do an axle assembly swap.

As to whats wrong with it: I bought it from my brother (1st owner) @105k miles. It had been making noise for 50k miles (his estimate). Sort of a grinding noise but not really.

When I bought it I removed diff. cover and inspected the oil. He didn't remember ever changing it. It was dark and had metallic residue, very similar to metallic paint, in the oil. I also inspected the gears and the inner and axle shaft bearings for wear and play. Everything seemed fine. I closed it up refilled the diff. and have been removing the cover about every 5k miles for check up. No noticeable change until today @ 122k miles! I haven't removed the cover but have discovered the left axle shaft bearing has very slight movement. I have ordered the new axle shaft kit and will replace it next week.

I can do the axle bearing and/or axle shaft replacement without removing the spider gears and getting into the limited slip clutch springs (pain in the donkey). Also won't need to mess with preload and crush sleeves and back lash. That stuff is what makes me sweat!!

Hope the bearing is the cause of the noise but find it hard to believe it took 65k miles to finally get loose!

Any thoughts?

does anyone have ideas about a homemade tool/jig to insert through spider gears and housing so they don't accidentally get spun out when the pinion shaft is removed? I was thinking of a short piece of wood dowel for each gear with something flat on one end so it can't slide all the way through. The right wheel will be on the ground so it will not turn. In theory, the left axle should come straight out and slide straight back in. Ha Ha Ha!

spider gears will not move when you pull the pin to get clearance to pull the c-clip to remove one half axle shaft. The gears should be a little "snug" and not fall out.

ok thanx steve


should I do both sides or just wait for the right side to go bad?

I had an axle seal on one of my axles start leaking about a year and a half ago, at 90,000 seal don't usually leak for no reason, so I bought 2 new seals , and two new axle bearings, put it on stands, pulled the cover off ,(with a large drain pan underneath ,) removed both tires , removed both calipers and ties them up out of the way , removed the rotors ,(make sure the Ebrake is off) removed the spider pin bolt , slid out the spider bolt , removed both C clips , ( you may have to push in on the axles to get these off , pull out axles ,(you may need a slide hammer) , pull out seals , (mine were really in there) , pull out bearings , (they are a friction fit) ,
Reverse order , (I had to sandcloth inside of housing and bearing to get it back in one side ) Use a bearing and seal installer of the correct size to tap in ,...put in axles , put C clips , re install spiders and pin (this is kind of tricky , don't give up ,...:-arrgh Put trans in neutral , have someone turn driveshaft while you watch gears and listen , if all seems good , install rotors , install calipers , this is a good time fro brake maintenance if needed , put on wheels , put on cover with new silicone sealant , pull out fill plug , fill until you can touch with tip of little finger , put in plug , let down , and drive it ,.....

Why are you afraid of the spiders coming out ?? not a big deal ,..

mine is a limited slip. each inside end of the axles have a series of friction disks and plates then a spring plate then the axle gear. If the spider gears come out, it's my understanding, it's a real pain to compress both springs enough to feed the spiders in and have enough room to slide the conical washers into place. I've read it many times.

is yours the 9.75 with limited slip?

Also, my first post of this thread mentioned the $1100 rebuild, does that sound fair for this axle assembly??

I did my old 2002 with a 9.75 LS unit twice in 245K miles... The gears don't move unless you turn the drive shaft or axle shafts during removal. Small movement back and forth may be needed to get the pin back in the gears... just don't turn it a full revolution.

For me , I would see what you can get a complete assembly out of a salvage for , and just swap it out , you should be able to pull cover and inspect before buying .