Well 50K miles and 4 years later...first problem.....axle seal

[Mustang5L5]

I figured it was a matter of time. At least it didn't strike in the heart of winter.

While cleaning my car in prep for an AutoX session tomorrow, i noticed my right passenger side bullitt wheel COATED with smelly grease on the inside. It must have happened in the last 2 weeks because that's the last time i've cleaned my wheels. Anyway, there is a LOT of it.

So i guess i gotta pull the wheel and take a peek to confirm, but how difficult is an axle seal job?? I've pulled axles before on Fox Mustangs to convert to 5-lug, but i've never actually done a seal change. Figures my 20-year old 100K miles Fox is still on it's original seals, but my 4-year old GT has one tear up.

I just HATE diff fluid. It smells like butt.

While i'm there i guess i could install my Cobra rear disk setup that i've had sitting for a while for my 5.0 (which now has GT disks)

 

[BennyBlown2v]

Yeah pull the wheel to make sure. After you pull the axles its pretty straight forward. Basically, to replace the seal you just grab a slide hammer with a lil claw attachment (harbor freight has cheap ones, but you can get them at any good tool store) and hammer/pull the seal out. Next step, get a "seal driver" which is basically just a ring the appropriate size of the seal you're trying to put in (also available at HF), load the seal in there, and tap it into place. I made my own seal driver outa the old seal races and some rod stock - cuz I'm cheap and didn't wanna go to the store lol....

^^seal driver

^^slide hammer

 

[Mustang5L5]

Does this look the the correct seal to you?

It was listed under "wheel seal" in the autozone computer.

Timkin 8660-S




I also picked up 2 quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic 75W-140 fluid

Didn't make it in ford in time to grab friction mod

Will have to do the job tomorrow, then get the fluid monday after work and then add it.



I can rent a slide hammer from AZ...but don't think they have seal drivers. Might have to improvise on that one.


Guess i'm not autoXing tomorrow. Damn stupif $5 parts failing at the wrong time

 

[BennyBlown2v]

Yeah that looks right! You might as well replace the bearing at the same time, and it might have been the cause for the seal to fail anyway.

The synthetic mobil 1 fluid has friction mod built into it, no need to add friction mod. The more friction mod you add the longer the clutch packs will last, but also the more you put in the less it will wanna "grab" and actually lock lol....

I would find a tool store and go buy the stuff :-\ I'm sure there is a HF in MA somewhere!

 

[Mustang5L5]

There is 1 HF in MA....75 miles from me


I should have gotten a bearing too, but i didn't. I'll see how the axle is and if it looks scored or worn i'll go get a new one. There is no vibration in the car or noise from the rear at all. A new bearing is $12 for a Timkin, so i prob should just do it anyway since i'm already there.


You sure on the no friction mod needed with Mobil 1 syn??

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well got the seal replaced. I got a bearing and would have changed it except the puller i had wasnt really the correct one. There was no play in the axle and everything looked ok so i left the bearing alone.

The actuall job was no big deal. Took me 3 hours. Getting the c-clip out was a PITA but i did it with a magnet.

Just gotta go fill the differential up with 75w-140 mobil 1 and then take it for a spin. Sounds easy, but i always have probs filling diffs

 

[Mustang5L5]

What a PITA job all to replace a $5 seal

 

[BennyBlown2v]

LOL damn! How did you end up pulling and installing the seals?

 

[Mustang5L5]

I just used the end of the axle to lever it out. I couldn't get between the bearing and seal with the slide hammer i had, so i just levered it out with the axle. It was easy as hell, took about 3 tries and 10 seconds. Mangled the old seal up a bit though.


I rented a seal install tool from AZ. I just tapped the new one in place. Very easy job. I didn't change the bearing because 1.) i had the wrong type of puller, and 2.) the axle and bearing looked fine.

Took about 4 hours total...with most time spent trying to get the c-clip out and filling the diff with fluid.


OH, i also discovered the slide pins on my caliper were seized. I couldn't get the caliper off and then noticed only one pad was wearing. Both pins were seized i guess heating the brake up.

I'm guessing it's been like this for a while. At my last autoX i drove the car hot and smoked the brakes. I guess the sticking caliper may have heated that brake up even more and it compromised the seal as judging by the amount that oozed out, the timeframe seems to fit as to when it started (and the last time i cleaned my wheels).

So that makes me feel better than i have a reason to why it failed other than a bad bearing. I checked for play and there was none in the axle.