Rear axle seal
 

The rear axle seal on my '59 F100 needs to be replaced. Is it an easy repair and are any special tools needed?

I did the seals on my '59 F250,they didn't require any special tool.You have a 9" differential probably,while I have a Dana 60,so I'm not 100% sure.If you don't already have one,buy a factory shop manual,that will tell the tale.

No real special tools are required. It is a straight forward repair. (assuming a 9" Ford axle) Pull the axle shaft and the seal is right there at the end of the housing tube. Remove old seal, replace with new, reassemble everything. The thing you'll want to check, though, is the axle bearing while you have the shaft out. Many times, the seal fails as a result of a bearing failure, allowing the axle shaft to move around slightly.

When you get the axle pulled out, here's a neat tip for getting the seal out. That is sometimes the hardest part. The seal sits down in the tube a bit and is tough to get a normal seal puller into. Take a scratch awl or a long nail and punch two holes through the metal part of the seal on opposite sides. Thread a couple of 3" drywall screws into the holes and then you can alternate back and forth with a claw hammer to pull it right out. Works every time!