R Front diff bearing?

[turboexplorer]

If anyone has read my threads you know I have been chasing a grumble in my floorboard forever. I have done the 4406 conversion done wheel bearings and replaced but CV's. I lifted up all four tires the other day and put in four wheel drive to spin them up even just to 25 and its there, (not there when in 2wd) I get under it and I think it is coming from the right diff bearing. Its at the end of the tube that goes to the passenger side. Right where the CV hooks in. While tires are turning I can feel nothing in both steering knuckles or even on the pinion or the left side but can feel it through the tube right around where that bearing is. Anyone have to replace this bearing before or know how? Not even sure what in there with the spline where the shaft hooks in? Ford raised their rates so whats $125 just to look at it. Help please, Thanks

 

[KPT]

I've never heard of one of those bearings failing.

I would think the sound would be there in 2 or 4wd if it was that bearing though.

 

[turboexplorer]

Thats what the diff guy at Ford said was never heard of one failing. And when driving the sound is ALWAYS there cause everything is turning. But what I meant was when I had all four in the air and in 2WD it was gone, only the rears where turning. But when in 4WD to spin all four the sound is there so I know its in the front. Wheel bearings is out cause sound sounds identical when the tires are in the air and there is no weight on them.

 

[dkchrist]

That bearing is not fun to replace. (also an expensive bearing) I would doubt it was that bearing. But you could pull the rh inner axle and see if the bearing surface is pitted or galled and that would tell you.

Also if you can feel it in that tube, that would be the first place to feel vibration from the wheel bearing. I would check the wheel bearing while you are at it.

 

[turboexplorer]

Hmmm..... not fun thats not what I wanted to hear and I still think that its that bearing because the vibration doesnt change when you turn and shift the weight of the truck. Also It seams like there is far to much play, when I lift the inner portion of the CV (wiggle it) I can move it a lot at least double that of the other side.

 

[dkchrist]

Most likely then it is the inner joint of the CV. You will need to separate the inboard CV from the axle and see if the axle moves up and down.

Otherwise that bearing will require a slide hammer and bearing puller to remove it.

 

[turboexplorer]

I am not sure how the front diff on these is set up. It has an axle that goes from the carrier through the tube and rides on a bearing there then the seal. The cv then slips into it and clips in correct? That CV only has but 5-7 thousand miles on it is all. Bummer if it went bad this soon. But say if it were that bearing it can be done with the diff in the truck still correct?

 

[gijoecam]

You should be able to remove the passenger side axle shaft without pulling the diff... Getting access to it could be a pain, but it should be do-able... IIRC, once the knuckle is out of the way, the halfshaft can come off, and the axle shaft is right there... Slide hammer attached to a puller should pop it right out, then it's just like a regular axle from there... Pop the seal, slide-hammer the bearing out, ever-so-gently tap the new one in, and replace the seal.

Last time I checked (last week? maybe the week before?), Advance Auto had the bearings and seals listed on their web site for around $20 for the bearing, and IIRC, $10 for the seal. They specified that it was the bearing for the FRONT D35 axle.

(On their site, I selected the year, make, model, and entered 'front axle bearing' into the search page. It was a different part number than the rear axle bearings, so I'm confident it was the correct part)

-Joe

 

[dkchrist]

I tried O reilly's when I thought I had the same problem and I know they don't have the right bearing. I had to go to ford and get the bearing. $35 for the bearing and $15 for the seal from O reilly's. BTW, the RH bearing is a very thin raced and needled torrington bearing (approximately 1/8" thick)

 

[turboexplorer]

How do you hook onto the axle inside the tube? getting the CV out and things is no prob have been a auto tech for a few years but this axle is unfamiliar

 

[gijoecam]

Isn't the passenger side inner CV joint a female spline? IIRC, doesn't the axle protrude from the housing a couple inches once you get the CV joint off? The service manual shows it having a shoulder.... I'm guessing you can pry on that, or affix a slide hammer with a three jaw puller to pop it out of the diff side gear... But admittedly, I've never had mine apart.

-Joe

 

[turboexplorer]

No I have changed the CV on that side and I believe its just like about all CVs that the spline sticks out of the Cv and goes into the axle. Axle being female and the CV being male that goes in there and kinda clips in.

 

[KPT]

Unless the design was changed when they got rid of the vacuum disco Joe is right. Except it doesn't protrude a couple inches. One maybe.

 

[gijoecam]

For a 98, here's the right:

and the left:

It may be different for a 95-96... Never honestly checked that out...

 

[techieman33]

go to napa to get the seal, O'rielly's has the wrong seal listed. The inner axle does stick out a little bit but not much. I wish I had known I could easily remove it though it was a pain to replace that seal with the axle still there.

 

[dkchrist]

You can pull the axle out of the housing then you will need a three jaw puller. To get mine out in the truck I ended up grinding a small section out of the race to remove the needles and pull from inside the race. It is pretty tight to get the bearing out.

 

[turboexplorer]

I took it to Ford yesterday and they tore it apart both sides and looked at everything and the cvs and the wheel bearings and that bearing that I think is the problem. Well they say that they can't find anything wrong with it. That there is a little bit of a bearing rumble but that there isn't anything that sticks out to him. Grrrrr..... been fighting this in this truck since I have had it. It only has 93,000 on it. There is defiantly something not right though. He said when he went to go up to speed in 4WD on jack stands that the front shaft area and T Case are making noise. Well it would woouldn't it when its in 4WD at 50 MPH? Besides I can pull the front shaft and it feels the same as if it were in. Also like I said earlier I can run it in two and can't feel it. put it in four and I can so that kinda kills the t case. Cause does it without the shaft in while driving and doesn't do it in 2WD on the stands. ???????????????? I'm at a lose now, just spend 85 bucks for them to tell me they can't find it.

 

[IZwack]

I would:

- remove the driver's side axle shaft
- put a (very large) bolt, a pair of washers, and a nut in center of the bearing assembly to keep it from flying apart
- take it for a spin around the neighborhood

If the noise is gone, then its either the CV or the axle shaft bearing. If the noise is still there, its the wheel bearing assembly.

 

[IZwack]

Since there's plenty of talk about this end of the front axle, I found this old pic if it helps any.

 

[turboexplorer]

Good idea I may try that, That drivers wheel bearing only has 2,000 miles on it. Its a new timkin bearing. So I hope that its not that and both cv's are new but all is under warranty so don't care whats wrong just want it fixed. One more thing though I am not sure thats its the drivers side. Kinda feels there but when I had it up it feels like that outer tube bearing. I'm out of town so next week I'll play with the truck and see what I can find again, its been elusive.