axle seal

[68ford]

i have gear oil leaking out on my tires, at first glance it looks like brake fluid but pretty sure it is gear oil. do i just take the bearings out and get a new seal for them to fix?

any suggestions would be appreciated

[FORDification]

Your truck should have a 9" Ford reareand. There are actually two seals on that...one in the end of the axle housing tube and one on the axle retainer plate. You'll have to remove the axle to find out which one is bad, but more than likely it's the one in the end of the axle tube. It's a quick and easy replacement. Just pull the axle, use a seal puller to pop the seal out of the axle tube and gently tap a replacement, and reinstall the axle.....maybe a 30-minute job.

[68ford]

thanks, i have never taken the axles off before. i have numbers for the rear end, will these numbers tell me what rear end i have. i also pulled the numbers from the transmission and engine. the engine and transmission were from a mustang, its a 302, i think, but i can see a 289 on the manifold cover.

[FORDification]

Post what numbers you have in the appropriate topic areas and I think someone will be able to help you out.

[68ford]

cool, thanks

[68ford]

i have the axle out and am trying to get the bearing off of the axle. what is a seal puller. i went to napa and autozone and they do not know what that is. they said i would need a heavy duty bearing puller from a garage. isn't this something i can do at home?

thanks

[FORDification]

If you're replacing the inner seal, in the end of the axle tube, you'll need a seal puller like this one:



If you're talking about the bearing and seal on the axle flange, those have to be pressed off, so you'd be better off taking to a machine shop or a buddy with a press. If you're good with a torch you can cut the old bearing and collar off and then drive the new ones on with a length of pipe...but I think I'd just suggest having the pros press them off and new ones pressed back on.

[68ford]

ok, i see, it was the axle seal not the bearing seal. thanks again.