Rear axle seals leak. TSB 94-19-24 (PN: F4TZ-1177-C)) - part dealership only?

I know we were just talking about this - because I got this TSB info from a link you guys supplied. I remember the tread having pictures of the seals and part numbers - I think from Napa. Anyhow I searched with site search and google and can find it. It sucks cause I know it's there, but whatever.

Does anyone know if the Ford part number F4TZ-1177-C shown in TSB is dealer only item, or is this something I can get at Napa or other local parts store? Is this something I really SHOULD get at the dealership because quality is better? Got three coats of paint on the frame leafs and axles and it's time to reseal the axles (front and back) on project little foot.

https://www.amazon.com/SKF-34384-Re...automotive&vehicleId=1&vehicleType=automotive this is the seal you want rock auto usually has a better price. never had 1 leak

Autozone sells it also, part number 370047A for $32.99.

I don't see the oil slinger or new bearing. Is this the seal you use after the conversion? I have 86 F350, and both sides and the pinion are leaking pretty bad. I don't have it apart yet, but I'm kinda thinking I don't have the TSB (new oil slinger & bearing) installed yet and that's why it's leaking so bad.

As a follow on question, how hard it is to set the pinion preload after changing pinion seal? Any source of "official" instructions/manuals for these sterling axles?
Not to make a science project out of this, but since I have axles out, should I upgrade the pinion shaft to newer (stronger) style while I'm here? Is it much more work?

You have a full floating axle. There are two bearings on each side. It's setup much like the front wheel bearings on a 2wd. And these bearings are oiled by the diff lube, so the oil needs to get out there, no slinger to keep it dry like on some semi-float axles which only have one bearing and are sometimes sealed units and not oiled by the diff oil. Get yourself a book, it will walk you through it.

There is no upgrade for the pinion that I know of, except the factory upgrade which used a different casting with a longer snoot and longer pinion shaft. I believe you are stuck with what you have unless you swap the whole thing out.

On the pinion pre-load/changing the pinion seal, all I do is take the driveshaft out, make a mark on the nut and a mark on the shaft. Then take the nut off, replace the seal, and put the nut back on and tighten it till the marks line up. Never had problem doing it this way.

But with the Sterling diffs, 9 times out of 10 you will get in there and find the nut already loose. So you have no reference to put it back. The reason they are loose, the splines wear and the pinion starts working back and forth on the splines, and that slowly backs the nut off. Some people say you have to use a new crush sleeve, some say to take it all apart and convert to shims. Both of those options are a lot of work. Crushing a new sleeve is not easy and requires a whole bunch of torque. Again. all I do is tighten the original nut back onto the original crush sleeve, I did this to my truck and it's been on there over 7 years since I did it with no problems. You do need to get it tight though, and a little loctite helps prolong the time till it loosens again.

P.S. If you have leaks everywhere back there, make sure the breather is open. It's part of the tee fitting for the brake lines, and should have a hose running up and looped to the frame. If this breather is clogged, when the rearend gets hot it will build pressure and push the oil pass the seals.

franklin2 said:

You have a full floating axle. There are two bearings on each side. It's setup much like the front wheel bearings on a 2wd. And these bearings are oiled by the diff lube, so the oil needs to get out there, no slinger to keep it dry like on some semi-float axles which only have one bearing and are sometimes sealed units and not oiled by the diff oil. Get yourself a book, it will walk you through it.

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I'd like to get a book on these axles, and the dana 60 I have up front - any recommendations?

The TSB says it's for full float. I'm pretty sure I learned about this here. Anyone familiar with this? The newer trucks have it already, but I've got an 86 and my bearing are shot, so I need new bearings anyway.

Thewespaul said:

http://www.billavista.com/Tech/Articles/Dana_60_Front_Axle_Bible/index.html

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Perfect. Anything like this for the Ford 10.25?

Other than the factory service manuals Im not sure there are. Once the CDD tech site is up Ill have all that info public once I scan all my manuals in.

onetonjohn said:

I'd like to get a book on these axles, and the dana 60 I have up front - any recommendations?

The TSB says it's for full float. I'm pretty sure I learned about this here. Anyone familiar with this? The newer trucks have it already, but I've got an 86 and my bearing are shot, so I need new bearings anyway.

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That TSB was generated in 1994. We are way beyond that now. If you use the seal listed in the previous posts, you will be ok. I would pull it apart and inspect the bearings, if they look good, re-use them. New is not always better. I would not want to take out a original bearing possibly made by TImken or some other high quality bearing made back when the truck was put together, and install a new bearing made in China unless I had to because it was bad.

That makes sense. Maybe I was making too much of the TSB. The bearing are bad on one side. The one that is good has no markings (replaced?), and the bad one is from
Is there a source of USA made bearings, or other (non-USA) quality bearings?

Not to threadjack, but is there a good thread about seal & bearing replacement? My 'new' truck ('91 F-350 CC SRW) is leaking gear lube and the bearings sound shot, looks like I'm going to be doing both sides sooner than later and need to know which parts to use and the best prices. Thanks!

Eli

There was a good one not long ago (where I learned about this TSB) but I couldn't find it with the search. I'd be interested in what is a good brand bearing. I found the SK seal, and I can get National bearing from O'Rielly, or a NAPA branded bearing from NAPA. I'm tempted to go NAPA.

Thewespaul said:

Once the CDD tech site is up Ill have all that info public once I scan all my manuals in.

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Awesome! Thanks Wes!