Rear Drive Axle and Differential
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Ford RV Cutaway, 2004 Ford Econoline, 2004 Ford E450 Super Duty, and 2004 Ford Cutaway. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The rear axle assembly has the following features:
- An integral-type housing hypoid gear design (center of the pinion set below the centerline of the ring gear).
- The hypoid ring gear and pinion consists of a ring gear and an overhung drive pinion which is supported by two opposed tapered roller bearings.
- Pinion bearing preload is maintained by a collapsible spacer on the differential pinion shaft and adjusted by the pinion nut.
- The rear axle housing consists of a cast center section with two steel tube assemblies and a stamped differential housing cover.
- The differential housing cover uses silicone sealant as a gasket.
- The differential pinion shaft is retained by a threaded differential pinion shaft lock bolt assembled to the differential case.
- The differential case is mounted in the rear axle housing between two opposing differential bearings that are retained in the rear axle housing by removable bearing caps.
- SAE 75W-140 High Performance Rear Axle Lubricant.
- Differential bearing preload and ring gear backlash are adjusted by differential bearing shims located between the differential bearing cups and the rear axle housing.
- Rear axle identification is on an embossed metal tag bolted to the differential housing cover. Refer to DRIVELINE SYSTEM-GENERAL INFORMATION .