I realize this is “FineHomebuilding” and not automotive whatever. However I figure construction guys overlap heavily with car guys and rather than trying to find and register at multiple site before finding one that is car related and runs as well as breaktime does with active timely users I’d try and pose my questions here.
So the dumb question is for a 99′ expedition, Is a rear wheel bearing the same as the rear axle shaft bearing. Whether they are the same or not can an oversized, meaty, unbalanced tire cause excessive wear on it/either? Enough so that the axle oil seal leaks gear lube. Lastly what are the odds or life span before expecting to have to replace the axle shaft by being chewed up by a bad bearing causing the seal to leak?
Thanks so much in advance.
Replies
first question- The axle bearing is the one where the axle enters the differential. I'm not sure on expiditions, but on the earlier trucks they are not horrible to change.
second question- Yes. Large tires that are out of balance can chew up wheel bearings quickly. The wheel bearing are at the end of the differential housing, and also aren't horrible to change. Removing all of the other stuff to get at the bearing is another challenge. How long do you have before the axle on that side goes bad? Who knows. How big are the tires? How fast do you drive? How out of balance? But if it leaking oil, I would go after it soon. The longer you wait, the more money it is going to be.
Also, if you do tow a trailer with this truck, register it commercial, and get stopped at a DOT safety check point, those guys have a very small sense of humor when it comes to leaking gear oil. They turn from department of transportation to the department of revenue in the blink of an eye.
I don't doubt they do, that stuff smells noxious, it can't be good for anything but gears.
Thanks for the help. So the bearings at the end of the axle housing holding the shaft (rear) to the outside of the car body can be referred to as wheel bearings? So when people say they had wheel bearings replaced these are the ones?
I've been looking into doing it my self and your right it seems easy, jack on leaf spring bracket, loosen dif case, drain, remove tire, brakes, wheel, oil seal, dif cover, shaft pin, slide out axle and put back together.
I only fear the weather, no second vehicle, what I'll find in the diff. cover and price of axle shaft.
I am not sure if the wheel bearing is on the axle, or pushed into the differential case. If the bearing is pressed onto the axle, bring the whole axle to a machine shop and have them replace the bearing. If the bearing is part of the case, pulling the bearing out can require some force, and installing the new one can be tricky. You have to tap the new bearin g in and make sure it is in the case square. Either way, I would look around for a second form of transportation. Once you open differential cover, you might as well take it off completely and replace the gasket. Also, it make reinstalling the axle a lot easier.
Good luck.
My terminology would be a little bit different. Wheel bearings, I would expect to find on the front wheels of rear drive 2wd vehicles. I usually hear the front bearings on 4wd vehicles referred to as hub bearings & the bearings on the rear axle as axle bearings only. No "wheel bearings" on the rear axle in the local lingo around here. That leaking axle grease ain't no good for brake linings either. If it's leaked at all, you've already got to do, at least, a brake caliper/shoe replacement on that wheel. No point in pushing it until you completely loose those brakes & brake the vehicle on some other object.
Don't perform brain surgery with out the manual.
Seriously get a Chilton's manual or equivalent.
It'll save you the bucks in the long run.
Next to Breaktime, the Ford-Trucks.com forums are the best thing on the internet!
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums
I've had a couple of Rangers over the years......the rears are known to have issues with bearings, sealls and Trac Loc problems.
I just put new bearings in the rear end of my 04 f150 this past weekend. It's not an overly difficult job to do unless you get a stubborn bearning. Go to Autozone or similar and rent a slide hammer/bearing puller, you will need it. Oh and one other thing, I stripped the adapter for my locking lug nut...make sure you don't do that.