A few current rear axle overhaul questions.........

Okay so i'm ripping through my rear axle and redoing everything, 3.55 gears, all new bearings and seals, rear disc brake conversion, new brake lines, painting, and a nice torsen differential. So my question is that for some reason I happen to have the deluxe ford installation kit and am a little questionable on the parts in it. Everything that has come out of the axle so far has been all timken parts which I prefer. Now the part I don't like is that 4 of the bearings in the kit are Koyo and 2 are SKF, does or has anyone else come in contact with this kit and gotten bearings of this type? I thought ford used nothing but timken in the first place. Did they change or do I have a knock-off kit? In case you are wondering, it is the M-4210-C kit.

Also being that they are Koyo and SKF, how well should they fare in the axle long-term (still tedious on using them)?

Lastly, with the torsen differential, would anyone know what specific fluid I should use (being that it has no clutches)?

Michael Yount said:

I have a torque-sensing type diff in mine (worm gears/cones - no clutches). It seems to have done just fine on Amsoil synthetic.

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Thanks for the info on the differential.

Anyone know anything about the axle install kit and if what I got is the same quality and all or anything about these KOYO and SKF bearings?

SlowGT said:

I've never used the kit, I always buy Federal-Mogul bearings separately. A buddy of mine did the 8.8 in his bronco and he bought the Ford kit with the same hopes as you had. He was pretty pissed when he opened it up and found the foreign made bearings. He also removed Timken bearings from the stock setup. Call up Ford and see what they have to say about it. When it comes to bearings, I like to to see 'Made in U.S.A' on them. Can't say how long the bearings you have will survive. They may outlast good American made pieces. Who knows. One way to find out (but not in my cars )

let us know what you find out.

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Yeah, you pretty much said it. I was expecting to get in the kit what I pulled out of the original equipment (the axle). Oh well at least I got the correct kit and didn't get something that I felt was scrounged up at a garage. I like buying Timken because it's like buying snap-on or Mac, you just know it works and works well. Anyone else know much about these KOYO or SKF bearings?

ttt......