Did my seals at around 70k now doing them again at 110k. The first time I just replaced the seals and not bearings. I got seals from car quest the first time. Now for the second time im replacing both seals and bearing and using ford parts. Its a pretty easy job if you have some mechanic knowledge.

 

I just rotated the tires on my 04 this weekend and noticed some play in the right axle. Definitely some up and down which is certainly the bearing, but also what seems like excessive in and out. Question is, how much should these axles move in and out? Would a worn C-clip cause this? I want to do the bearing myself, but if I end up needing something else like a new clip, are they also readily available at most auto stores?

 

What a great thread just want to thank quinton for putting it together it cut my work in half and everything worked well. I went with timken bearings/seals and auto zone loaned me the puller.

 

Excellent write-up!!!!

I was much more confident going into the job with the detailed explanation and photos. Changed my seals out a couple of weeks ago - no more leaks, the differential cover isn't leaking (I was afraid it would and I'd be out 60 bucks worth of oil doing it all over again), and I saved some money by skipping the gasket.

Really appreciate it!

 

my a4wd 99 expy is about to roll 199k and my left rear seal is leaking and right rear starting to leak, i was wondering if its any different changeing them on the expy?

 

I can't think of anything that would be different.

 

I've replaced my rear wheel bearings and I'm trying to put everything back together. I'm having a terrible time getting that S-spring back into place in the diff. Question: Is it really necessary? What could happen if I leave it out?.

 

Keep up the good fight for that spring. Leave it out & you face severe damage to your rear end. IE replacing the whole thing. They are about $300.00 at a junk yard should you find the correct 1. You may end up in a few. Just sayin.....

 

I want to thank you for posting the process. The passenger rear side of my F150 was making a whining noise it was getting loud. Today I followed the process you posted pulled the rear shaft out and the bearing was bad and damaged the shaft. Pulled the drivers side and the shaft was still good. But since I had it all apart I replaced both shafts and installed new bearings. What was making me nervous was when I pulled the diff pin I had to rotate the diff slightly to pull the pin and when I did the gears shifted a little. Ownce the pin was pulled out I did not attempt to turn it any more. Installed the bearings greased them reinstalled the shafts c clips verfied that they were seated. Then I shifted the tran into neutral and slightly turned passenger drive shaft to get the gears to center on the hole and the pin slid right in. Put a new locking diff pin in. Changed the rear breaks also. Never did this before Fron start to finish about 4 hours.

Cost was $550 to have a shop do it would have cost me $1600.

Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

thx 4 great post . is there any thing more detailed if the trk has limited slip?

 

FYI Lisle make a pneumatic adaptor for that. I just used it and its so much better than a hammer and has much more control so you drive the bearing and seal straight in just a few seconds.

 

Had to replace the left rear parking brake shoes and dust cover following a catstophic failure of both that resulted in a huge chunk being blown out of the inside disk hub! The pics and explainations you provided allowed me to svae $300.00 on what the shop wanted to perform the same work. Actually went ahead and replaced both rear disks and pads while I was into it. COuld not have doen it without y'all!
Thanks!!!

 

I am in the process of doing mine as we speak although it started raining so I am on a break. I would like to gice a heads up to a problem I ran into. I had taken the pinion bolt and shaft out, then the passengers side axle but when I got to the drivers side and pushed it in it didn't seem to go far enough in to remove the c-clip, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get in far enough, I went back o0ver to the wheel side and realized the wheel stud, where it goes through the hub was bottoming itself out on the back, I just turned it a small amount and it pushed in the rest of the way.
I am having difficulty getting the bearings and seals out even with the bearing slide puller but I will be back at it tomoorow.

 

Is there any way that you can put a rag inside the axel housing and put some crushed ice inside and around the bearing for a few minutes to help shrink it. Then after a few minutes use a small propane torch on the outside of the axel housing to just warm it up?

 

I used a bit of heat on the axle and it came out