jfryjfry
jfryjfry Dork
8/5/19 10:18 a.m.

I’m not scared of doing something new but not exactly smart either so I was hoping for some guidance on this little adventure. 

I believe it is a ford 9” in our 72 Bronco. 

It was leaking out of one axle tube so I put a new seal on it but didn’t measure how deep to set the seal.  The leak seemed to stop so I considered it a win. 

We have only driven it about 20 miles since as it was stripped down for paint shortly thereafter. 

While crawling around I realized that that side wheel had tons of slop in it, coming from the axle somehow.  I had hoped that the retainer plate ether loosened or I just forgot to tighten it. 

That, coupled with the other side weeping and the third member leaking as well as the pinion seal seeming to leak has led me to want to reseal it  

Yesterday I finally got around to trying to address the issues. Unfortunately, the retainer plate was tight so that wasn’t the play. I pulled it out without looking any further but nothing seems to be a smoking gun. The bearing has some play in it but I don’t think enough to cause the slop I found. 

I pulled the other side apart and found a nasty-looking bearing. 

So ive decided to just replace the bearings and seals on the axles and then address the leaky third member. 

 

But for now, can some experienced guys instruct me on what bearings and seals to get, how to remove the bearings and how to install bearings and seals?  

The videos I watched show a tapered roller bearing I believe so I’m not sure which I should have since mine are sealed. 

Also looking for guidance on how to gauge depth to install the seals as I didn’t measure their depth in the tube prior to removing.  I obviously didn’t get the one I replaced in deep enough as you can see wear marks on it.  Or, maybe the excessive play is what caused the interference?  Either way, help??

Here are some pics:

Recently replaced drivers side

Pass side

 

 

 

wawazat
wawazat HalfDork
8/5/19 10:32 a.m.

I just did that job on the Ford 9” in my ‘69 Cougar.  I don’t have a press so I went to a shop for help.  Bronco should have 9” rear end from Ford, not 8”.   

 

The smaller diameter ring on the axle is the inner bearing retainer.  It is seated in a groove in the axle shaft.  I sliced mine with a cutoff wheel most of the way thru then used a cold chisel to split it apart. New bearing and seal sources from part store that still does machine shop work.  The inner seal is tapped in to place then the reassembled axle (inner bearings retainer, bearing, retainer plate) is then slid in to place and four nuts tightened in T-bolts.   

Youtube has some good videos on the process.  

wawazat
wawazat HalfDork
8/5/19 10:33 a.m.

Oh yeah, I slowly tapped the seal in using a brass drift until it seated in the axle tube.   It went deeper than I thought it would.   

The replacement bearings were sealed type as well.  

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