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How to Replace the Rear Axle Wheel Bearings in a 1999 Ford Expedition

The 1999 Ford Expedition is built on an F150 platform. The Expedition uses a 9.75-inch rear axle. The axles are retained with C-clips at the end of the axle shaft, inside the differential carrier. The axle bearings are of the roller type. A failed axle bearing can manifest itself as a noise at the rear wheel or gear oil leaking past the oil seal. When replacing axle bearings, the oil seals must also be replaced.

Instructions

1

Park the Expedition on a flat, paved surface, and do not set the parking brake. Place wheel chocks in front of the front wheels. Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels, then raise the rear of the Expedition with a jack, and support it with jack stands. Finish removing the lug nuts and rear wheels.

2

Remove the rear brake drums. For disc brakes, use a ratchet and socket to remove the lower caliper mounting bolt and loosen the upper bolt. Pivot the caliper up and away from the rotor. Remove the rotor.

3

Position a drain pan under the differential housing. Remove the bolts that hold on the carrier cover with a ratchet and socket. Catch the gear oil in the drain pan. Remove the old cover gasket, and use a gasket scraper to remove any material from the cover and the differential housing. Wipe both surfaces with a shop rag.

4

Examine the carrier assembly inside the housing, and youll see the large vertically mounted ring gear. Next to the ring gear, running through the carrier housing, you will see the pinion shaft. Rotate the carrier assembly until youre looking at the end of the shaft. It runs through holes in both sides of the carrier assembly. To the right of the shaft is a small bolt that screws into the carrier assembly and engages the end of the shaft. Place a large screwdriver between the differential housing and one of the bolts that holds the ring gear onto the carrier assembly. This is to prevent the carrier from turning when you remove the small bolt. Remove the bolt with a ratchet and socket.

5

Rotate the carrier assembly 180 degrees until youre looking at the hole on the other side of the carrier assembly that holds the pinion shaft. Slide the shaft out of the carrier assembly in this direction. Pull the shaft out until the stepped part of the shaft contacts the ring gear.

6

Push the outer end of the axle in toward the center of the differential housing. Move back under the Expedition; you will be able to see the end of the axle shaft. The axle shaft has a C-clip in a groove on the end of the axle. Use needle-nose pliers to carefully remove the clip. Remove the C-clip for the other axle in the same manner. Do not rotate the differential while the pinion shaft is pulled out. Slide the axles out of the end of the axle tubes.

7

Attach an axle bearing puller to a slide hammer. Insert the bearing puller through the center of the bearing. Using the slide hammer, extract the bearing and oil seal. Repeat for the other bearing and oil seal. Clean the end of the axle tube with a shop rag. Note that there is a small step inside the axle tube that the axle bearing seats against.

8

Tap the new bearing into the axle tube with a hammer and a socket the same size as the outside of the bearing. Seat the bearing against the step in the axle tube. Coat the rubber lip of the oil seal with gear oil. Use the same socket to tap the oil seal into the axle tube. Make sure the seal is flush with the end of the tube. Repeat for the other bearing and seal. Slide the axle into the axle tube far enough so you can reinstall the C-clip. After you install the clip, pull out on the axle to seat the clip in the recess in the small spider gear. Repeat for the other axle.

9

Push the pinion shaft back through the carrier. Put a couple of drops of non-hardening thread sealer on the pinion shaft bolt, and reinstall the bolt. Torque the bolt to 20 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

10

Coat the gasket mounting surface on the differential cover and the gasket mounting surface on the differential housing with gasket sealer. Coat one side of a new differential cover gasket with gasket sealer and press the gasket onto the differential cover. Coat the other side of the gasket with gasket sealer, and position the cover onto the housing. Install the bolts, and tighten them until the cover is just seated against the housing. Moving in a crisscross pattern, torque the bolts 30 foot-pounds.

11

Remove the filler plug from the differential cover. Add 4 ounces of limited-slip friction modifier to the differential, then fill it with 75W-140 GL-5 synthetic gear oil. The differential is full when the gear oil reaches the bottom of the filler hole. Replace and tighten the filler plug.

12

Install the brake drum, or install the rotor and rotate the caliper back onto the rotor. Torque the caliper mounting bolts to 30 foot-pounds. Mount the wheels, and install the lug nuts. Raise the Expedition and remove the jack stands. Lower the Expedition to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts. Test drive, and check for leaks.