I have a bad rear axle seal. How difficult is it to replace? Thanks in advance.

 

Anyone??

 

(If I remember what the mechanic said...this was the 8.8 rear end.)

Remove wheel, unbolt caliper and hang aside, remove rotor, remove parking brake.

Drain fluid from axle housing, (I may be missing a step or two right here) remove axle C-clip, slide out axle, being sure to "clock" it to fit thru the keyed exit hole on the end of the tube.

There's the outboard axle seal and bearings...get a puller and get to it, and while you're in there, replace the bearings and you may as well do both sides now that you have the fluid out of the diff.

Jack

 

Just tore down a 2001 F-150 doner rear end yesterday.

"Remove wheel, unbolt caliper and hang aside, remove rotor, remove parking brake.

Drain fluid from axle housing, (I may be missing a step or two right here) remove axle C-clip, slide out axle, being sure to "clock" it to fit thru the keyed exit hole on the end of the tube."

You do not have to remove parking brake (although you have to back off
the star wheel to get the rotor off).

There is no "clock position" or "keyed hole exit" in the end of the tube.

Also to get the axles out you have to remove the lock bolt that holds
the Differential Pinion Shaft in. Use a 8mm 6 point 1/4 drive socket an
breaker bar.

After removing the Differential Pinion Shaft you push the axles in to
remove the "U" washers, then pull the axles out.

You will have to turn the drive shaft by hand while removing the above.

 

00,
How many miles did you have on when your seals failed..?
I had one go out on my 97 at about 50K, just curious if I should expect the same on my 01...
Like to do it before it goes!!

Thanks

 

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being airing up the tires, 10 being an engine rebuild, I'd rate the rear axle seals at about a 3.5.

-Joe

 

I had an axle seal go around 35k on my 01 XLT. I have scheduled all day tomorrow to replace both seals, bearings, brakes, and parking brakes.

 

i would watch that lock bolt that holds the differential shaft b/c when we went to change the bearing on my dads f150 the bolt broke on the inside. and the mechanic said that its a common thing. so if it breaks the only way to get it out is to drill it or get a small pick and see if you can get the what is left of the threads out. i am not trying to shy you away from doing it yourself i am just warning you that it can break.

 

Just be glad it's not a 250 or 350 with the floating axle. Then you start getting into special tools.