Came close to throwing a rear axle off today **Update**

[Bob McDonald]

Came home this afternoon and then noticed a LOT of oil on floor at right rear wheel. I took a look under the Trac and saw the entire back side of tire and wheel, plus fender well saturated with oil. It was oil, not brake fluid.



Just finished looking deeper and found the rear axle bearing had come loose from the housing and was actually out of the housing. The only thing holding the axle onto the Trac was the C-clip inside the differential. Damn, I had been doing over 70 on the Fwy earlier. That would been a fun ride if the wheel and axle had come off. NOT! :angry:



I guess I know what I will be doing tomorrow.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Sounds like you caught it in time both from the repair and safety aspect.



Good luck with the repair tomorrow...

 

[Todd Z]

If it slid out of the housing and down the axle, Please look at everything carefully and don't chance it happening again...Replace everything that is suspect...



Todd Z

 

[scott degroot]

I have never seen the actual bearing come out of the housing, actually I'm not quite sure how this could happen unless the housing is cracked

 

[S KRX]

My friend had the same thing happen on a 1992 S-10 Blazer. His wheel and axle actually came out and PASSED him as he was cruising at 40-50MPH. Luckily, he skidded to a safe stop on the brake drum and didn't crash.

 

[Bill Barber]

The drum didn't come off with the axle? that wierd

 

[EddieS'04]

Sounds as if the seal or the housing cracked. I think on the ford 8.8 the C-clip is the only thing holding the axle in. The old ford 9" did have an outer seal inside of a 4 bolt clamping plate. The 8.8 seal is inside the axle housing tube.



edit; if you have disk brakes. The caliper can save the axle from sliding out if the c-clip breaks.

 

[Todd Z]

Bill,



Maybe the "shoe" dragged the ground like Fred Flintstones foot and it stopped the truck ...



Todd Z

 

[S KRX]

Good point, I'm sure the brake drum did come off too. The guy didn't know much about cars, which was obvious while he was telling the story. He referred to the differential as the "pumpkin". I assure you the story is true, however.

 

[JK II]

A lot of people refer to the differential as the pumpkin.

 

[Chad Merry]

I recommend a "C" clip eliminator kit. They can be bought anywhere and are worth every penny.

 

[Bob McDonald]

** UPDATE **

Well, upon taking it apart, it was not as bad as it looked last night. The bearing had only slipped out about 3/8's of an inch. That was, however, enough to cause the seal to come completely free and I lost most of the differential lube. Good thing I noticed it when I did. I would have been really bad if I had driven several days without lube. The only wear I noticed was on the 'C' clip and I had to order those.



Chad,

I have never heard of a 'C' clip eliminator kit. How does it work? I guess I will look into that tomorrow.

 

[Bob McDonald]

Just researched the eliminator kit on the net. It is a little too involved to do (and expensive) to be worth it in this instance. If I was into racing or off-road, and planned on keeping the Trac another 8-10 years,I would consider it. Thanks for the suggestion though, Chad.