A bearing kit with seals, shims, gaskets etc from Ford is only $112. Of course there is labor. Money well spent. Do it right and you won't smell 90W oil for another 100K miles.
Blew an axle seal
- Thread starter License2Bill
- Start date
fastblackmerc
Everything Marauder, LEDs & HI
The recommened oil is 70W/140
License2Bill
New member
If I'm going to do it once, I might as well do it right and buy axles at this point as well.
RF Overlord
73 is the best number.
I certainly hope so, but that isn't my point. It just sounds like you're saying that everyone will NEED to rebuilt their rear axle just because it has 100k miles on it.
I am saying clutches and axles will be needed about every 100K, at which point you are $100 worth of carrier and pinion bearings from a full rebuild.
larryo340
Now Marauderless :(
$100 maybe in parts alone for carrier and pinion bearings....I would think most of us are unable to properly set up a rear differential.
I for one don't see the need to replace differential and carrier bearings when you only need axle bearings & axles unless of course your old axle bearing surface is wasted, and at that point you may even have damage to the ring and pinion.
I run a repair shop for a large taxi fleet, and you won't believe what I've seen when it comes to Panther rear ends
I for one don't see the need to replace differential and carrier bearings when you only need axle bearings & axles unless of course your old axle bearing surface is wasted, and at that point you may even have damage to the ring and pinion.
I run a repair shop for a large taxi fleet, and you won't believe what I've seen when it comes to Panther rear ends
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License2Bill
New member
At this point, I'm thinking I'm just going to bite the bullet, and do a full rebuild. A little piece of mind for the long run
Sent from inside the T.A.R.D.I.S.
Sent from inside the T.A.R.D.I.S.
Marauderjack
Senior Member
251,178 miles and still doing the :burn:
Original LSD clutch pack that tested fine at rebuild with 177K miles on it!!:bows:
BTW......I never do stationary burnouts......probably why mine has survived so long??
:beer:
Vortech347
I shouldn't have sold mine.
All of the bearings do not need to be replaced. You can inspect the bearings while its apart. I've done this recal kit to 3 cars. My own 03' and 2 Vic's. All of them just needed the axle bearings on the outside changed, fluid flushed out and everything put back together.
GreekGod
LORD HUMUNGUS RULES!
"fluid flushed out"?
You have had some very good advice, and some very bad advise in this thread.
A proper repair requires a proper cleaning of the entire axle housing. It is my opinion that it takes a complete disassembly and power wash to properly clean the housing. This assumes your lube was contaminated by a failed bearing, and it has bearing particles in it. There is an area under the pinion bearing that is very difficult to get to for cleaning.
I can, and have successfully set up a ring & pinion, but will not do it again because I have a local expert that has very reasonable prices, and is very good at it.
When rebuilding, always use a solid pinion bearing spacer kit, and never use the OEM type crush sleeve.
While the OEM differential is strong, it has the clutches that do wear, and are they fussy to properly set up. I would never recommend reusing it when you have it apart, because the Eaton Detroit Trutrac is a superior replacement.
Always replace the 28 spline axles with 31 spline shafts.
You have had some very good advice, and some very bad advise in this thread.
A proper repair requires a proper cleaning of the entire axle housing. It is my opinion that it takes a complete disassembly and power wash to properly clean the housing. This assumes your lube was contaminated by a failed bearing, and it has bearing particles in it. There is an area under the pinion bearing that is very difficult to get to for cleaning.
I can, and have successfully set up a ring & pinion, but will not do it again because I have a local expert that has very reasonable prices, and is very good at it.
When rebuilding, always use a solid pinion bearing spacer kit, and never use the OEM type crush sleeve.
While the OEM differential is strong, it has the clutches that do wear, and are they fussy to properly set up. I would never recommend reusing it when you have it apart, because the Eaton Detroit Trutrac is a superior replacement.
Always replace the 28 spline axles with 31 spline shafts.
We could argue this point, but considering how rarely this needs to be done (and the price of bearings) it is false economy to not replace all the wear items at the time the axle is disassembled for service.
And, as mentioned, given that a catastrophically failed axle and bearing is often the impetus, a thorough cleaning to get out the shrapnel is essential. Again, requiring disassembly.
Vortech347
I shouldn't have sold mine.
I said inspect to them. If they have issues then yes replace them. Usually all you need to do is clean out the housing. If the axle actually BREAKS then yes of course that is mandatory rebuild. I hate working on rear ends with broken axles. Most of them shatter like glass. But on the axle recal's I did there wasn't any damage to the carrier or pinion bearings. But keep in mind they were friend's cars and I knew the exact sound to look for so it was caught early.
vegasmarauder
DBP #102
Well, here's my .02 worth. If the seal leak is caught early enough and the bearing has not broken down, only got hot and damaged the seal, there may not be any metal in the oil. It's unlikely, but if the leak is spotted early enough, I have seen it. The seal goes because the bearing went and overheated the axle and bearing.
Once the rear is apart, you will see the metal dust in the oil and know its all through the rear. If not, you can just change the seal, bearing and axle and take a chance. I have seen cars fixed with just those parts go another 40K miles until the other side went. Which brings up, if you do one side and can afford the other, do it at the same time. It the TracLok passes the turning torque test, it is considered good and does not have to be touched. A competant rear end shop should know what the torque test specs are.
By the way, some outside shops to save money will get an offset bearing to run on the undamaged part of the axle to save the replacement axle cost. Not worth it in my opinion. Once an axle has been overheated it loses some of its strength and may fail later.
By the way, we got 232K miles on a early 03 MM rear. It was rebuilt at 10K miles under the recall for spalled axles, so I guess it was 222K miles then. It was just about the same price to change the tracLok out for an Eaton than to rebuild the Traclok. Outside shop charged $900 for all new parts except the ring and pinion. Most dealers will only use the Ford parts unless you know someone in the shop or the part is doscontinued and they can use an outside supplier then. And $1100 was exactly the amount it cost on one of our fleet CVPIs a few years ago. Needed everything as well.
Once the rear is apart, you will see the metal dust in the oil and know its all through the rear. If not, you can just change the seal, bearing and axle and take a chance. I have seen cars fixed with just those parts go another 40K miles until the other side went. Which brings up, if you do one side and can afford the other, do it at the same time. It the TracLok passes the turning torque test, it is considered good and does not have to be touched. A competant rear end shop should know what the torque test specs are.
By the way, some outside shops to save money will get an offset bearing to run on the undamaged part of the axle to save the replacement axle cost. Not worth it in my opinion. Once an axle has been overheated it loses some of its strength and may fail later.
By the way, we got 232K miles on a early 03 MM rear. It was rebuilt at 10K miles under the recall for spalled axles, so I guess it was 222K miles then. It was just about the same price to change the tracLok out for an Eaton than to rebuild the Traclok. Outside shop charged $900 for all new parts except the ring and pinion. Most dealers will only use the Ford parts unless you know someone in the shop or the part is doscontinued and they can use an outside supplier then. And $1100 was exactly the amount it cost on one of our fleet CVPIs a few years ago. Needed everything as well.
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Can you describe this noise? I get this very slight high pitched whirr from my rear end at certain rpms. Not sure if I should be worried or not.
Marauderjack
Senior Member
High pitched whine is gears and pretty much normal!!:burnout: Mine whines a little cruising at 58-60 MPH......been doing it since new!!
A "wump....wump....wump" noise ain't good and is caused by bad axle bearings!!
:shake:
Vortech347
I shouldn't have sold mine.
Almost every car will have slightly metallic matter in the gear oil Its usually material from the clutch packs. Manual transmissions are the same way.
Marauderjack
Senior Member
I use Ford magnetic plugs and filter magnets on all my stuff.....they catch ALL ferrous metal contaminants and that has to help!!:bows:
License2Bill
New member
Mine was a definite wump wump wump sound. Frequency of noise directly correlated to vehicle's rate of travel.
License2Bill
New member
$1200 later and the fools at the dealership couldn't even install the parts I told them to. They have it in writing the day I dropped the car off that I told them "If it needs one or both axles replaced, upgrade everything to 31 spline components from a 2005+ Panther vehicle. On the receipt, it shows they only replaced one axle. So I'm going back tomorrow to tell them to finish the job at no cost to me.
Guittard22
punish the road
^^^
1200 bill what happen to 876 you told me ?
1200 bill what happen to 876 you told me ?