Ford 8.8 rear diff yoke won't go in! Help! | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Ford 8.8 rear diff yoke won't go in! Help!

Chris-1997

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October 21, 2017
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City, State
CA
Year, Model & Trim Level
1997 Mercury Mountaineer
My ford 8.8 differental yoke won't go in I replaced the seal and the yoke won't slide in im using a dead blow hammer and it's barley sliding in and it won't go any further. If I keep hammering it in will I ruin the pinion? Any suggestions? I need some serious help on this.
 



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How hard was it to get it out? Are the splines clean? Have you tries multiple positions? Have you tries cleaning up the splines with a file?

Do not hammer on the yoke. Never hammer on things with bearings. The yoke should go on pretty easily, requiring no more force than it took to remove it.

If the splines are not totally clean of dirt and even there's a little rust on them they will jam and you'll have a really tough time getting the yoke off again. Many years ago I learned this the hard way trying to install a used drive shaft on a freshly rebuilt transmission. I ended up having to invent a tool to press the driveshaft off again and ruined the bearings in the trans.
 






How hard was it to get it out? Are the splines clean? Have you tries multiple positions? Have you tries cleaning up the splines with a file?

Do not hammer on the yoke. Never hammer on things with bearings. The yoke should go on pretty easily, requiring no more force than it took to remove it.
I ****ed up and I so pissed off right now I cleaned the spines and everything they didn't look bent or anything and I was hammering the **** out of it right now and it's pissing me off and I hope I didn't **** up my rear end it was somewhat hard to get off I had to use a puller so what should I do in moving to Washington soon and this is my only vehicle. And I don't have any money to replace my rear end and I don't have any trusted mechanics around any tips on what it could be or is
 






I have had new yokes go on new pinions hard, like needed to use the nut to draw it up.
 






I'd use the puller to remove the yoke again and carefully inspect the splines to see if you see any damage at the point where it stopped going on. Don't be surprised if you can't notice anything. Then take a medium-fine triangular file and clean/file every side of every spline on the yoke. The yoke should go on without much persuading (maybe a few taps at most). It could be that you're not reinstalling the yoke in the exact position that it came off in. While this isn't necessary the splines may be happier in one position rather than another. After filing the splines, try different positions to see it if goes on more easily in one position rather than another.

As to whether you did any damage hammering on the yoke? It's very possible. When you hammer on the yoke you're pushing the pinion bearing cage, which can be easily damaged. That's why you should never hammer on bearings.

Get the yoke to go on w/out hammering and keep your finger's crossed.
 






I'd use the puller to remove the yoke again and carefully inspect the splines to see if you see any damage at the point where it stopped going on. Don't be surprised if you can't notice anything. Then take a medium-fine triangular file and clean/file every side of every spline on the yoke. The yoke should go on without much persuading (maybe a few taps at most). It could be that you're not reinstalling the yoke in the exact position that it came off in. While this isn't necessary the splines may be happier in one position rather than another. After filing the splines, try different positions to see it if goes on more easily in one position rather than another.

As to whether you did any damage hammering on the yoke? It's very possible. When you hammer on the yoke you're pushing the pinion bearing race, which can be easily damaged. That's why you should never hammer on bearings.

Get the yoke to go on w/out hammering and keep your finger's crossed.
I have a guy getting me a quote would it be dumb to get a new diff put in I already have a whine in the back and was thinking about getting it done.
 






A new diff, or a different used diff? A rebuilt diff or a diff rebuild is big bucks. A used diff would be a lot less money, but you have no guaranty that a used diff will be any good.
 






A new diff, or a different used diff? A rebuilt diff or a diff rebuild is big bucks. A used diff would be a lot less money, but you have no guaranty that a used diff will be any good.
He is going to get me a quote on each used and rebuilt I've put a lot into this vehicle and it would suck to have to get rid of it for a bad rear end
 






A complete quality diff rebuild can run $1200-$1500. A used complete diff with a 30 day warranty will run you around $300. A used diff w/out a warranty less.
 






A complete quality diff rebuild can run $1200-$1500. A used complete diff with a 30 day warranty will run you around $300. A used diff w/out a warranty less.
Plus $300 for labor idk I pulled the yoke off any I'm gonna try and file them down and see if that helps and I'll let you know but I'm probably going to take a break it's hot right now it's 82 degrees no joke.
 






Plus $300 for labor idk I pulled the yoke off any I'm gonna try and file them down and see if that helps and I'll let you know but I'm probably going to take a break it's hot right now it's 82 degrees no joke.

Good luck.
 






Good luck.
So I tried and tried and tried but no success. I filled then cleaned then greased over and over and no success it just won't go on and I don't know what it is. My car is supposed to be AWD but the front drive shaft is missing so it's just rear wheel drive. So I thought maybe the yoke splines are bent even though it doesn't look like it maybe since all of that power is going to to rear and the yoke is only meant to take so much torque so I ordered a new yoke hopefully it works if it doesn't then I'm out $23 because of a restocking fee. Any other ideas on what it could be the pinion splines look good and have less of a chance of bending cause they are thicker idk I'm just frustrated. I'm moving to Washington soon and this is my only vehicle. Any tips appreciated.
 






I believe the yoke for the rear differential is keyed. One of the splines is slightly wider than the others. Did you pull the pinion seal and take a look at the pinion shaft to see if anything is obstructing it? A new seal is only a few bucks.

That yoke can handle quite a bit of torque, I doubt that it's messed up, the pinion bearings not so much..
If you wailed on it, you have probably messed up the pinion preload. There is a pinion crush sleeve in these axles that sets the preload on the pinion. If it's off it will take out the bearings, for sure.
(Speaking from experience with those bearings. Destroyed them with a locker, V8, 4.10's, 33" 10 ply tires, and egregious use of the go pedal in turns... :burnout:-> :censored:)
 






I believe the yoke for the rear differential is keyed. One of the splines is slightly wider than the others. Did you pull the pinion seal and take a look at the pinion shaft to see if anything is obstructing it? A new seal is only a few bucks.

That yoke can handle quite a bit of torque, I doubt that it's messed up, the pinion bearings not so much..
If you wailed on it, you have probably messed up the pinion preload. There is a pinion crush sleeve in these axles that sets the preload on the pinion. If it's off it will take out the bearings, for sure.
(Speaking from experience with those bearings. Destroyed them with a locker, V8, 4.10's, 33" 10 ply tires, and egregious use of the go pedal in turns... :burnout:-> :censored:)
It doesn't appear be keyed I marked how I took it off and I've tried putting it on the same way with no luck. The whole reason I ran into this problem was when I was changing the pinion seal I changed my diff oil and after I started driving it leaked so I checked the breather tube and it was blocked And all of the pressure went out the seal causing the seal to go bad so that's when I went to change it and now I'm here. I don't think I necessarily "wailed" on it I didn't have much room to do so when under the vehicle I was using a 46 oz dead blow hammer If that means anything. If I can't get the yoke back on I literally have no clue what to do and I might have to get it hauled off with a tow truck then either get the diff replaced or sell the car whichever I've put a lot of fresh parts into before I move to Washington so it would be a real bummer to lose all that money. TBH I'm only 18 and just graduated high school so this was going to be my escape vehicle sucks it might go to **** also if I did mess up the bearing preload how long can I expect my diff to last?
 






In the image below, on the left is the pinion gear. I doubt very much that there is anything that the truck could have done to have twisted/bent it. The rear diff in your truck is the same one as used in the 2WD version of your truck, so it's plenty strong. Note the spline on the end of the pinion. That's what your yoke slides on to.

As @MrQ said, the pinion and yoke may be keyed (I don't know if it is). That's why I told you to try inserting the yoke in different positions to see if it would go on. It came off, so it should go back on.

Your hammering may have damaged the pinion bearing, but as you were unsuccessful in getting the yoke on, the crush sleeve should not have been damaged. Did you try every possible position that the yoke can go on?

Other than this, I don't know what to tell you.



s-l300.jpg
 






In the image below, nn the left is the pinion gear. I doubt very much that there is anything that the truck could have done to have twisted/bent it. The rear diff in your truck is the same one as used in the 2WD version of your truck, so it's plenty strong. Note the spline on the end of the pinion. That's what your yoke slides on to.

As @MrQ said, the pinion and yoke may be keyed (I don't know if it is). That's why I told you to try inserting the yoke in different positions to see if it would go on. It came off, so it should go back on.

Your hammering may have damaged the pinion bearing, but as you were unsuccessful in getting the yoke on, the crush sleeve should not have been damaged. Did you try every possible position that the yoke can go on?

Other than this, I don't know what to tell you.



s-l300.jpg
Yes I tried every possible position and still nothing it makes no sense it wouldn't go on even without the hammering and even then I tried every position and still nothing I'm not so worried about the pinion bearings being bad I can get a full diff rebuild as long as I could get it to a shop in a distantly town like Palm Springs which is about 80 miles away but I can't even get it there because it cant drive under its own power.
 






Heat the yoke up in the oven then try installing?

The trick sure makes harmonic balancers slide on easier.
 






Heat the yoke up in the oven then try installing?

The trick sure makes harmonic balancers slide on easier.

I agree. I thought about telling the OP to try heating the yoke up too.
 






I agree. I thought about telling the OP to try heating the yoke up too.
I will try that tomorrow and see what happens I'll try the old yoke first and if it works I'll send back the new yoke but I'll fill you in.
 



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I agree. I thought about telling the OP to try heating the yoke up too.
New yolk slipped on perfectly no hassle so some how the old yolk was bad but the old yolk splines where clean so maybe they where bent or twisted some how.
 






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