9 inch diff axle wont go back in - Ford Forums

xcgxl · 04-11-2004, 23:52

I am trying to re-fit the left hand axle of my XC type disk brake 9 inch diff. Axle was removed to inspect a leak of diff oil. I can get it in as far as the start of the bearing but no further. It is definitely in the splines as I can turn the opposite wheel with the axle. The manual is no help but shows that the clutch packs are splined to this side of the diff. Coauld somthing have slipped down and is stopping me from getting the axle in?? I dread having to remove the centre again, and it will prove difficult as the other wheel is up against a wall. I only planned on removing one axle. Has anyone had this problem before. I didnt have a scrap of trouble with my BW diff in 200000km and the 9 inch is a $600+ rebuild which has now done about 1500 km and leaked the whole time.

TICK4D · 04-12-2004, 01:45

G'day XcGXL,
Yeah I had theat problem every time I took my axles out (which was alot) of the XB.
Just use a block of timber and a sledge hammer.
There is nothing that could have moved at all, and this, as it would seem brutal attack, does not hurt anything at all.

xcgxl · 04-12-2004, 04:40

****! you sure about that?? I dont have a sledge hammer will a big engineer's hammer do? I see that the splines are worn to half their length. I guess that is how far they go into the diff. nver had that trouble with the BW diff, it was only a 25 spline but it had the same bearings.

shaynet · 04-12-2004, 04:58

Use fairly soft wood - 3 or 4 inches thick.

9" diffs leak no matter how much silastic you use. There are special copper or brass type soft washers that compress around the studs to help seal the leaks that you should be able to get from a diff specialist.

Periodic tightening of the nuts holding the centre in is a necessity with a 9"

xcgxl · 04-12-2004, 05:21

Yeah but mine is leaking out the end of the axle tube and down throught the middle of the ventelaited disk brake and oil is beilg flung around inside the wheel. Any hints for putting in the new oil seal? I noticed the diff place had a tool for setting it at the correct depth.

shaynet · 04-12-2004, 06:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcgxl

Yeah but mine is leaking out the end of the axle tube and down throught the middle of the ventelaited disk brake and oil is beilg flung around inside the wheel. Any hints for putting in the new oil seal? I noticed the diff place had a tool for setting it at the correct depth.

Long time since I installed mine but I remember that I had new bearings installed on the axle so the workshop did this and pressed the new ones on in the correct position.

Maybe your bearings are worn and this is the cause of your oil leak

I can't remember the setup for the seal. Isn't it just a gasket behind a plate that you do up thru the hole in the end of the axle?