Removing an Axle Bearing Race from a 9" Axle Tube

[Bronco638]

Hey All,
I've swapped axle shafts a bunch of times in early Mustangs. I wanted to do the same on my F-150. I have the 9" axle from the parts truck and wanted to swap axle shafts because the two shafts in my Flare Side have broken wheel studs.

The process is pretty simple:
1 - Remove the wheel
2 - Remove the drum
3 - Remove the four 9/16" t-bolt nuts from the bearing retainer plate
4 - Pull the axle out by the wheel stud flange (trying not to get gear oil all over)

I was able to get this accomplished on the parts truck axle with a little effort. However, when I did the same on my Flare Side, the bearing race remained stuck in the axle tube. I've never experienced this before. With one jaw of a bearing puller, I was able to get the race part way out of the tube. However, it doesn't seem to want to come out any further. I'm hoping a slide hammer will be the solution.

Are there different methods to retain axle bearings in a 9" Ford rear axle? Or, did I just get a bearing that came apart? I'm a bit stumped by this as we used to R&R axles in the GT-350s often (when changing the diff).

Any insight is appreciated. TIA.

[mat in tn]

I'm hoping more chime in as I'm going to learn something here, I'm sure.
 my experience is the same as I believe you were expecting as the four bolts get removed and the axle and bearing come out as a unit with the collar still well seized onto the shaft. personally, I have not yet had a bearing come out in parts before on a 9" only on the 8.8. but if you did not remove the rear cover and pull c clips then you do not have an 8.8. therefore, I think you have a broken bearing. these are mild press fit so i expect a slide hammer will be able to pull the race portion still in the housing. but it does mean a new bearing and collar.

[Bronco638]

mat in tn wrote

I'm hoping more chime in as I'm going to learn something here, I'm sure.
 my experience is the same as I believe you were expecting as the four bolts
get removed and the axle and bearing come out as a unit with the collar
still well seized onto the shaft. personally, I have not yet had a bearing
come out in parts before on a 9" only on the 8.8. but if you did not remove
the rear cover and pull c clips then you do not have an 8.8. therefore, I
think you have a broken bearing. these are mild press fit so i expect a
slide hammer will be able to pull the race portion still in the housing. but
it does mean a new bearing and collar.

Definitely not an 8.8 as I have a removable 'pumpkin' with the ring & pinion gears (as opposed to a removeable cover & c-clips). I've had a bearing going bad before (makes a rur-rur-rur sound as you drive) but never had a bearing come apart like this. The slide hammer arrives today, from Amazon, so we'll see if that's the solution. I'm afraid that cutting the race with a grinder/cutoff wheel could also cut into the axle tube.

[Bronco638]

I found this YT video which shows the issue and resolution: LINK (right click, open in new tab)

[viven44]

I just recently did mine and swapped it with new SET20 Timken bearings with Bronco graveyard.

Yes a slide hammer will be able to pull it out (that's what I had to use). Definitely apply RTV on the outer periphery before installing the new one, else it will leak gear oil.

I have this slide hammer that has a nice set of accessories to pull a lot of stuff

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MUECS0/?coliid=I1CWH7FEDCGA4C&colid=3IGQF00LDI4AO&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_lstpd_GYEV6F314WHD122BYH6N

If you have in and out play after installing the new bearing, your retainer plate is probably bent. I replaced it with one of these thick ones that slide over the axle

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/9-Inch-Axle-Shaft-Retainer-Plate/productinfo/32236/

[mat in tn]

the video is very helpful but a little frustrating also. he had it on stands and that was his specific issue. no anchor to hold it. however, if you can move it at all with a slide hammer then you are on the verge of popping it out already. no other tools are needed. just keep hitting it and bang, bang, bang. it's out. being still in the truck is the biggest help.

[Bronco638]

viven44 wrote

I just recently did mine and swapped it with new SET20 Timken bearings with
Bronco graveyard.

Interesting that the '80 axle had Timken bearings but the '81 axle had something else. A change based on cost, I'm sure.

viven44 wrote

Yes a slide hammer will be able to pull it out (that's what I had to use).
Definitely apply RTV on the outer periphery before installing the new one,
else it will leak gear oil.

The slide hammer worked perfectly. The tube opening must be slightly egg shaped as the race was tightest on the sides. I did have to use a hammer to tap the '81 axle assembly into the tube opening. It was much more tight than I am used to. I never heard of using RTV on the races. I never did that on the GT-350s and those axles were much easier to remove/replace. But, duly noted if I see axle lube dripping from the brake backing plate(s).

viven44 wrote

I have this slide hammer that has a nice set of accessories to pull a lot of
stuff

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MUECS0/?coliid=I1CWH7FEDCGA4C&colid=3IGQF00LDI4AO&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_lstpd_GYEV6F314WHD122BYH6N

The one I bought was ~$30 less but has all the things I needed (plus a few more).

viven44 wrote

If you have in and out play after installing the new bearing, your retainer
plate is probably bent. I replaced it with one of these thick ones that
slide over the axle

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/9-Inch-Axle-Shaft-Retainer-Plate/productinfo/32236/

This is also nice to know even though I do not have any in/out play. And, the '81 axle shaft spins freely after torquing down the t-bolts. I do need to change the gear oil though.

mat in tn wrote

the video is very helpful but a little frustrating also. he had it on stands
and that was his specific issue. no anchor to hold it. however, if you can
move it at all with a slide hammer then you are on the verge of popping it
out already. no other tools are needed. just keep hitting it and bang, bang,
bang. it's out. being still in the truck is the biggest help.

Yeah, I knew that was going to be a struggle for him as soon as I saw the axle tube on jack stands. That and having to use a Dremel to cut the race. As I said previously, the slide hammer worked to perfection. And, now I'm prepared for the opposite side.

[viven44]

The 9" can accept 2 types of bearings...

- One of them is a ball bearing which is not lubricated with Gear oil and uses an inner axle seal
- The other kind is a tapered roller bearing (SET20) which is lubricated with gear oil...

I believe what was stock from the factory was the SET20 type.

If the inner axle seal is not removed and the SET20 type is installed it will not receive gear oil which isn't good. Just to confirm, did the 81 have the ball bearing style and did you find the inner axle seal ?

Video below you can see the seal installed inside the axle tube at about 11:15
https://youtu.be/WsrG62YrIoc?si=qLyNfQpYAwwAIieU

If the race went in really tight the odds of it having a gap for oil to come out of is low. In my case the new race just slid in so I had to use RTV.

[ArdWrknTrk]

"NASCAR Style" = rollers.

Any kind of oil resistant sealer will work, even something like Hylomar that never sets up, and won't glue the race in for next time.

[Bronco638]

viven44 wrote

The 9" can accept 2 types of bearings...

- One of them is a ball bearing which is not lubricated with Gear oil and
uses an inner axle seal
- The other kind is a tapered roller bearing (SET20) which is lubricated
with gear oil...

Ah, OK! And, that explains the difference between the F-150 axle tube and the one used in the early Mustangs. I remember having to be careful of the inner seal as to not damage it when sliding the axle in/out. The F-150 has tapered bearings and no inner seal. The GT-350s must have had ball bearings.

viven44 wrote

I believe what was stock from the factory was the SET20 type.

If the inner axle seal is not removed and the SET20 type is installed it
will not receive gear oil which isn't good. Just to confirm, did the 81 have
the ball bearing style and did you find the inner axle seal ?

I will have to double check this but I'm pretty sure the '81 axle does not have the inner seal. It does have tapered bearings.

viven44 wrote

Video below you can see the seal installed inside the axle tube at about
11:15
https://youtu.be/WsrG62YrIoc?si=qLyNfQpYAwwAIieU

If the race went in really tight the odds of it having a gap for oil to come
out of is low. In my case the new race just slid in so I had to use RTV.

Yeah, I was expecting it to go in with a good shove (just like in the video) but I needed use a 2 lb. ball peen hammer to get it to seat. No major hits but it took a few low-to-medium smacks to get it home.

Thanks for the Hylomar tip Jim. I hadn't considered that.