Ford 8C3Z-4026-A
Differential Assembly

Start your Ford 8.8 Inch Rear Differential axle shaft maintenance by elevating the vehicle followed by tire wheel removal and subsequent drain of the lubricant into a reuse container. A clean container should receive the rear axle housing lubricant after removing 10 differential housing cover bolts to extract the differential housing cover. Drum brake vehicles require removal of the rear brake drum but disc brake vehicles need removal of the rear caliper followed by suspension of the brake caliper with wires then window the brake disc installation. Begin the procedure by giving the differential pinion shaft lock bolt the boot and pulling out the shaft. The removal process needs caution to maintain intact rubber O-rings which fit into the axle shaft grooves during U-washer and axle shaft removal. A small amount of grease should be applied to the wheel bearing oil seal lips before installing the two axle shafts while maintaining the U-washer rubber O-ring integrity in the grooves. Install U-washers onto the button ends of axle shafts before pulling the shafts in the outward direction. The differential pinion shaft requires a new lock bolt replacement unless unavailable when performing installation by using threadlock on the threads to secure the shaft to the case lock bolt hole. A rear brake drum installation should be completed on vehicles with drum brakes and a rear brake disc and caliper installation must occur on vehicles with disc brakes. Apply new continuous sealant to the differential housing cover after cleaning its mating surface. Install the cover within 15 minutes to prevent needing an additional sealant application. When installing the differential housing cover and 10 bolts users must add 2.37 liters (5 pints) of specified lubricant into the rear axle housing. Finish the process by cleaning wheel mounting surfaces until they show proper metal contact before putting on the tire-wheel installation.

Begin service of the Ford 9.75 Inch Rear Differential axle shaft only after turning off the air suspension power through the switch in the RH kick panel area to avoid unintended air spring inflation or deflation. First securely elevate the vehicle before taking out wheels and tires and differential housing cover. Extract the lubricating fluid before uninstalling the brake calipers and the discs. To continue the disassembly process remove the differential pinion shaft by breaking its lock bolt free before pulling out the shaft. When removing the U-washers through axle shaft pushing ensure that the rubber O-rings in the axle shaft grooves remain intact. It is crucial to extract the two axle shafts with extreme caution to avoid damaging the wheel bearing oil seal. Apply Premium Long-Life Grease XG-1-C or an equivalent approved by Ford specification ESA-M1C75-B on the oil seal lip for installation purposes. Position the two axle shafts while avoiding O-ring damage in U-washer grooves before placing U-washers on shaft buttons before external shaft extraction. Threadlock and Sealer EOAZ-19554-AA or equivalent WSK-M2G351-A5 material from Ford specifications must be applied to new pinion shaft lock bolt threads before differential pinion shaft installation by positioning the shaft hole over the case lock bolt hole and securing it with a new lock bolt. After refitting the brake discs it is necessary to install the differential housing cover and apply the specified lubricant into the rear axle housing followed by wheel and tire installation before allowing the vehicle to lower.

A Ford 8.8 In Rear Differential service and repair of its axle shaft must start by lifting and securing your vehicle then removing the wheel assembly along with the tire. The lubricant must drain into a clean container before you can remove the differential housing cover by unfastening its 10 bolts. Vehicle owners should first remove the rear brake drums on vehicles with drum brakes or detach the rear disc brake caliper and secure it with a wire to gain access to the rear brake disc. The differential pinion shaft removal begins with discarding the lock bolt before the shaft extraction process. When removing U-washers and two axle shafts from the grooves maintain care to protect the rubber O-rings. Before mounting the wheel bearing oil seal grease the lip then put in the two axle shafts while protecting the U-washer rubber O-ring grooves from harm. Fix the U-washer to the button area of each axle shaft then stretch the axle outward. Installation of the differential pinion shaft requires new lock bolts unless otherwise unavailable where the threads should receive a threadlock application before alignment through the case lock bolt hole to secure with new lock bolts. The rear brake drums must be reinstalled when the vehicle has drum brakes while disc brake vehicles require installation of the rear brake disc and caliper. Install a continuous new bead of sealant to the cover before sealing the differential housing. New sealant use is unnecessary when the cover installation occurs within 15 minutes. The specified lubricant quantity should be filled into the rear axle housing until it reaches 2.37 liters (5 pints). The last step involves cleaning all foreign matter and corrosion from wheel mounting areas to establish proper metal surface contact before wheel and tire installation.

Reinstall the brake discs, the differential housing cover, fill the rear axle housing with the specified lubricant, reattach the tire and wheel assembly, and lower the vehicle.