Technical Used Ford 9" Inspection

I just picked up a complete Ford 9" rear axle complete from drum to drum. What can be checked with it out of a vehicle to see if the axle bearings are good? I spun the yoke and there is no play in it and the axles spun smoothly. The only leak I can see is from behind the yoke, pinion seal is bad? What else can I do to check for any other issues? I bought this for my 56 F100 project.

Thank you,
Zak.


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First is to check the backlash as it sits, if sloppy...you're taking things apart anyways.

Pull the axles, better to check the axle bearing with no load you'll feel the issues turning them by hand...but, once out, why not replace them?...I think they are 88128 sealed bearings, depending on the year.

After the axles are out, pull the chunk...personally I'd replace all bearings anyways...but that's just me.

9inch axles are about the easiest to set up for contact pattern...say vs a Dana 44....and so much easier to do while out of the vehicle.

 

I'd want to replace seals, and check bearings. Usually a 9" will need a new crush sleeve if you want to replace the pinion yoke, and get the pinion bearing preload set properly with the specified torque on the nut.

It's easier to check the wheel bearings for smoothness and sufficient lube if the axles are out. And you can replace the seals then, too.

 

Thanks guys, I guess tomorrow I'll start disassembling and cleaning it. Once the axles and differential is removed, what type of product is best to spray in the housing and on the parts to clean them?


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I use a solvent parts washer. Brake cleaner can be used, it's probably more useful on the inside. You'll probably need to do a bunch of scraping to get the outside close to being clean. Fun work, but it's just another part of the hot rodding thing.

 

I use my pressure washer on the rear end housing and the chunk. Then I go to my parts cleaner for the axles and chunk.
If the rear end has been setting on the ground the portion of the ring gear that was out of the diff lube will probably be rusted. Maybe even pitted beyond use.

 

Had a little leak on pinion seal. Found pinion had big score in seal area.

 

This axle was pulled from a complete truck by the previous owner, so it hasn't been sitting outside on the ground at least.

I'll try brake cleaner and see if that works.

Thanks.


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If it's a truck 9'' it will have large bolt circle on the lugs too. Not 5 on 4.5.

 

If you are going to use the gear set that is in the third member over I would check the back lash and record it then when it goes back together set the back lash where it was.

 

I am hoping I can get by without disassembling the third member.


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I like to pull the pinion support out, at the least, because it's easy to work on them. Seems that's where the leaks usually come from, too.

 

My buddy is an electric motor mechanic and he brought over his dial indicator. We measured three different teeth around the ring and two were at .008 and one was .009.


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If that's the worst of the rust, it should be ok.

 

I just half assed clean the gear up to take the measurements. The red on the gear is old fluid and was caked on everything. I didn't see any rust on it. The inside of the housing is a little rusty but mostly caked with the same brownish red gunk. What is the best way to check the bearings in the third member to see if they are still good?


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The best way is to take them out and look at them.

 

For less than 100 bucks and a few hours time get the complete bearing kit from summit and be done. I did it last year as you are wanting to, there was an unseen and felt bad spot.

 

Okay. If I go ahead and replace all the bearings and seals and do them myself what all will I need?


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If you take the 5 bolt that hold the pinion support in and remove it you will be able to feel if it has bad bearings.
You will want to check the back lash before you take it apart a set it up the same going back together.

 

here is how Ford suggests you work on them. There are probably other how-to's around.

A press, a bearing separator, a couple torque wrenches, some misc stuff to use in the press like various size pipes, you already seem to have a dial indicator, and you'll need some stuff to use to drive in the bearing races and seal, I usually use my auto transmission bushing driver set for that.

http://selectric.org/manuals/rearend/indexford.html

 

The pinion support Bearing inside the housing needs to be checked very well for Cracks. Ford used Several Different housings depending on Application and year's. This was a weak Spot in the lighter 9"s.

 

In the second pic, you can get a good look at the pinion support bearing. It has rollers missing.
I would be extremely suspicious of the gearset being noisy, even after a correct reassembly.
I was taught by the experienced gear builders I worked with, that if you disassemble an older unit, let's say to replace the bearings, the odds of getting it back together exactly the same is lessened, and most likely it will noisy. The combined experience of those 4 pro gear builders is over 100 years.

 

strange, I've been using old used Ford gears exclusively in my heaps with 9" rears for a while, lots of gear changes, no issues with noise. I have had noise issues with new gears in other types of rears.

But I don't have 100 years experience.