Cleaning the inside of the rear housing

[73vertstang]

Last week I drop the rear end of my 73, Disassembled the springs, pulled the axles. I left the differental and the housing mated. Today I took the housing, springs, perches, drive shaft to be sand blasted. I sealed the axle tube ends with a shop rag and duck tape. The guy doing the job told me I will need to clean out the inside of the housing and gears before I put every thing back to gether. OK. I was intending to pull the differential and replace the gasket and inspect every thing before I painted and reinstall. I realy have two questions, 1 - when I pull the diff will the entire unit (the ring and pinion) come out of the housing as one unit (I thing so, but with this I'm a newbie, never did this before), but either way, 2 - what do I clean the insides with (gears included) to get rid of all the nasty little particals so when I put it back together and fill with gear oil I don't wreck the rear in the first 100 miles?

Thanks

 

[golf4283]

It's all gonna come out as one unit. as far as cleaning goes, I really dont know. If you use anything water based you might ruin the bearings.

 

[73vertstang]

Golf, thanks for the input on pulling the diff, using water was out of the question for me too. Thanks!

 

[D.Hearne]

The gears and all will come out with the chunk. There will be nothing left inside the center of the housing. You'll need to remove the axle seals too and replace these, look up inside the end of the housing for the seals. Once all that's out, you can wash the housing just by using a gallon of gas. Pour some in the center, and rock it to get the gas into the axle tubes. Drain into a bucket. I'm sure you can figure out a use for the dirty gas. I recycle it by mixing mine with used motor oil and use it to burn brush. I chalk it up to my contribution to "Global Warming"

 

[73vertstang]

Thanks D, The gas is a good cleaning agent (I should have remembered it's what my Dad always told me) I guess it will be ok on the gears also? Oh one more question.... 87 or 93 octane, what gives the better burn LOL

 

[D.Hearne]

Gas won't hurt the gears or bearings, not sure about the traction loc clutches (if oyu've got it). As for octane, use only as much as needed to control pinging. More octane than needed is a waste. Higher the octane, the harder it is to ignite.

 

[truck90278]

If you haven't had the rear end blasted yet, pull the pumpkin before you have the unit blasted, no reason to take any chances of having media caught in the bearings/gears. I would not recommend using gasoline vor cleaning. too much chance of having a fire, fumes will explode quit easily. No matter how good the blaster seals off the ends of the housing (you don't want to media blast the bearing and seal journals) some grit will get in. For cleaning before or after (the housing), good old Tide and water works. Use a large diameter brush to run down the tubes and get all the grit and old oil out. You should clean the housing inside before going to the blaster. Another good source of solvent is brake cleaning fluid (comes in spray cans). This will eliminate any water etc. also is good on the center section. At a "young" age, using gasoline, I succeded in getting 2nd degree burns on my face and on another occasion had gas fumes reach a pilot light and started a fire in a garage.

 

[73vertstang]

Thanks for the warning about the gas, I dropped everything off yesterday and he told me two weeks (cause he was backup with work) and was called today that every thing was done, go figuar!! I had aready pulled the bearing and seals from the end of the tubes (was going to replace them any way) I like using the brush
and tide on the inside of the empty housing, I guess this is ok if I flush it out, then blow it out with air and let dry properly when done. The ring and pinon still bother me. I was thinking (thats dangerous) maby while turning the gears pour some gas over them to just rinse them off followed by a rinse of gear oil. Then put every thing back together. How does this sound. I'm not trying to be lazy just didn't want to break down the diff and have to rebuild. I'm kinda running on a tight sched , I have a month to finsh the rear(including a rear disk conversion), brake and fuel lines, gas tank, turn the car around and rebuild the front end so I can get the eng and trans installed so it can go back to the body shop for final paint and finishing. I know the right way is to break down the diff clean every part by hand and then put it all back together, but that would sux and blow my timing. Can I cheat here a little??

 

[D.Hearne]

No problems using gasoline, you just have to remember to not have any ignition sources close by and do it in a well ventilated area. Gasoline by itself is hard to ignite. The fumes are a different story. Spent two years hauling the stuff and used it for cleaning parts many more years. Never burnt my self doing that. Just use it wisely and it's no problem.

 

[truck90278]

again I would suggest brake cleaner fluid as it can be sprayed from aerosol cans. two cans would be more than enough to clean the center section and the inside of the housing after cleaning it out. you can probably pick up brake cleaner fluid in an aersol can for about $3 a can. I agree with D.Hearne that gasoline is hard to ignite, if you drop a lighted match into gas without any vapor, it won't ignite, but wait one or two minutes for fumes to accumulate, it will flash. In California, you can't burn trash or anything outdoors. Proceed VERY cautiously if using gasoline.

 

[gtss]

add one more step, while you have the housing empty, drill and tap a small hole in the bottom and install a small pipe plug,
then later you can change the oil, and actually get it all out,
makes life easier
g

 

[D.Hearne]

add one more step, while you have the housing empty, drill and tap a small hole in the bottom and install a small pipe plug,
then later you can change the oil, and actually get it all out,
makes life easier
g

That's one thing I did with the 9" in my Comet, I'd forgotten about.

 

[73vertstang]

GTSS, That a great idea, Ford should have though of that when they design the thing. I've gotten all the parts back from the sand blaster, got the eye bushings out (burned them out) Primed and repainted the springs and perches. Going start on the housing this week. Still need a few parts (back ordered) before I can re-assemble.

Thanks all!!

 

[JonK]

Can you drill/tap the housing for a pipe thread cap with the third member installed? How much clearance is there with the gears in? I'm thinking of doing this with a bit stop on the drill so I don't go too far. Drill it, let it drain, tap, plug?
Jon

 

[gtss]

yes you can, just drill the hole slightly away from where the ring gear runs. however, as soon as the bit goes through remember you will instantly have a very well lubricated drill.
gtss

 

[D.Hearne]

Yea, you can. the housing is about 1/8" thick. The gears are a good distance above that, at least another 1 full inch. Drill it, let the gear oil drain out, pass a magnet thru the hole, then tap the hole. If by chance there is any filings left, and if you don't use a magnetic plug, they'll stay put in the bottom. Even if some did get circulated in the oil, there's not much chance if anything doing any harm, they'd be much softer than the bearing and gear steel.