Dropped the rear end On my 4 door yesterday. Swapping out to the 4 leafs and adjustable rear shackles. I cleaned up the outside of the rearend and want to change the differential cover gasket as it shows signs of a slight leak. If I unbolt the cover and change the rear-ends oil, is that the only gasket I'll need or will I need more seals? Most vehicles I've seen have the bolts on the rear (on the cover itself) and not in front by the driveshaft
To change the gasket on the front you will have to pull out the entire differentail assembly out, this requires you to take the axles out. Lots more involved than just pulling cover off .
the rear end is perfectly sound, I don't really want to dismantle it to change one gasket The gasket may have just seen grime from the years leading me to suspect foul I read somewhere on this forum before someone said something in the realm of 'A rearends like a automatic transmission, if it works dont tear it apart. ' should I just clean and paint it?
It's not really that big of a job, you just have to undo 4 bolts on each brake drum backing plate and take the brake lines loose and pull axles out a few inches or all the way. Sometimes the axles are stubborn coming out due to wheel bearing being rusted or stuck in place. Alot easier to do the job when the rear end is out of the car. You can always just clean it up and paint it and if it leaks more than your liking put new gasket in later
its out of the car in my backyard right now. I pulled the brake lines and have wire wheeled it clean thus far. I may just leave it alone for now and just check the oil level, if it leaks down the road I'll replace the gasket then like you mentioned. thanks. Just picked up 4 new u bolts and a lift kit, this thing should be riding high with more leafs and the new shackles I bought. I was wanting to paint the entire rear end 'Ford Blue' to give it that pop from behind
If all you want to do is change the rear cover gasket, as your post sounds, place a pan under it, remove the bolts and let the old oil drain out. Then scrape off the old gasket from the cover as well as the rear end, clean it up and replace with a new one.
his car should have an 8". if it does it will not have a rear cover. its a thridmember that pull out of the front of the housing after the axles are removed.
With the rear out, now is a great time to renew wheel cylinders, brakes and hardware, and pull axles to check bearings and seals. Pull hour pumpkin and clean inside of housing out (gonna be amazr at the crap in there! 34 years old and deserving a good voing over! just my thoughts here but trying to keep it safe,,,
You're right about having the 8 inch with the drop out center, BUT by his post, (wanting to change the differential gasket) I assumed it was the spicer type with the rear plate. Have to wait and see I guess>
it sounds like we're doing the same things except you're a bit ahead of me. I just dropped the tank and next want to remove the leaf springs, drop the rear axle out and shocks. Then I want to sand blast the underneath and then repaint it. If you take your axle apart, I'd love to see some photos so I don't go into it blind and do anything stupid as I'm prone to do.
i agree, better safe then sorry. I have completely overhauled the rear drums with new parts. yea dad told me if the oil isnt the least bit clean looking to just open the rear end apart and clean it up.
Have you sandblasted before? I bought a portable sandblaster last year and mine just wouldn't clean worth a dime and after clearing out 1 fender well I had a sand mess as big as texas . I just throw on goggles and keep wearing out angle grinders and wire wheels now, like I always have been. haha. ...but yea I'm stripping the underside now of undercoating and cleaning out the cobwebs. Fortunately my car was literally driven by an older lady for grocery's and church and the car is clean as a whistle already. as far as pictures, I will if I crack it open. I'm having trouble keeping up with pictures I have already though
the only maverick to ever have a plate type rear end were '70 models. any maverick/comet from 71-up, whether it's 4 lug or 5, will all have an 8" rear
