Rear axle oil seal replacement.

[kbrennan]

Hi everyone first post on this site, come from east coast of Aust and been a Ford man all my life. First learnt to drive in a 56 Cusso 272 when I was about 10. Currently own a UT Explorer and need to pick some brains on replacing rear axle seals in that vehicle. If anyone can help it would be very much appreciated.
Thanks KB.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've renamed your thread, and moved it into the transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials section.

 

[2TimingTom]

It's pretty easy actually- I just went through the process myself. I'd recommend also replacing your rear wheel bearings at the same time though- they're cheap and since you're in there, might as well do them. And buy a couple extra wheel seals (they're cheap) just in case you mess a couple up during install. They are easy to bend.

Here's a quick run down on the steps:

• loosen rear lug nuts
• raise rear of vehicle
• remove rear wheels
• remove rear diff fill plug (if you can't get past this step..... stop!)
• remove all the bolts hold the rear diff cover on
• remove rear diff cover and collect all the fluid
• remove rear brake calipers
• remove rear brake rotors
• if necessary, put vehicle in NUETRAL and rotate drive shaft until you have access to a small bolt in the center of the diff
• put back in PARK
• remove bolt
• remove pin that is held in by bolt
• push axles in and remove c-clips
• remove axle (some fluid may spill out when axle is removed)
• using a slide hammer with a rear axle bearing puller, remove axle bearing and seal
• press(pound) in new bearing using either a bearing press tool or a 2x4 of wood that is taped up (so you don't get splinters inside the axle tube)
• press(pound) in new wheel seal using a large (very large) socket that pushes on the outside of wheel seal.

From there, the rest is just the opposite of removal. Clean up the diff cover/diff housing with a gasket scraper (or wire brush) and some brake cleaner. Put some new RTV (I used ultra black) and fill with new fluid (I used Red Line 75w140). If you get one of those funnels with the long, bendy tube, it makes filling the rear diff a piece of cake.

 

[kbrennan]

rear axle seals UT explorer

Thanks for quick response to my thread Tom but 97 XLT and 01 UT have different set up. Yours has a solid axle mine independent. All I need to know is how to remove axles from differential.
Thanks KB.

 

[2TimingTom]

What's a UT?

And 2001's are solid axles over here. In 2002, they switched to independant rear suspension.

 

[turboexplorer]

What's a UT?

And 2001's are solid axles over here. In 2002, they switched to independant rear suspension.

True!

 

[kbrennan]

UT explorer

UT is the model 01 is the build date, rear end is independent now back to original question does anyone know whats involved in removing axles from diff.

 

[2TimingTom]

You do realize that just because it was built in 2001, doesn't mean it's a 2001 model year, right? Just guessing, but I bet you have an early production 2002 model year.