ok the other day I got my truck back from the Ford dealer for doing the rear brakes. While in there, they discovered my left rear axle seal was leaking, this was news to me. On top of that they said my both my rear bearings were shot, however I'm not hearing any noises of any sort that would indicate bad bearings.

My question is, is is possible that if a rear axle seal goes bad, it leaks into the brakes am I right? -Mike-

 

Yes that happened to me. It will leak onto the drum and the drum will generously cover everything in gear oil.

 

not for nothing but isn't this the second ford diagnosis in 2 weeks that is Identical. I felt like I have already read the original post last week. I seem to remember the dealer made out like a bandit on the other truck too.

 

Dont trust your "good old ford" dealer.
I went in for a oil change and they tried to sting me for $980 upper,lower ball joints.I had the ball joints inspected by two local service shops and the ball joints were fine.
Dont trust em.

 

Sounds like you went to midas.. haha

But yeah, most of the time if you have play in it or if the seal is leaking you automatically throw on bearings..

Rocky

 

GREAT!! I love my truck :D NOT!! -Mike-

 

A leaking brake cylinder will also cause a mess like the one shown in the pics.

I'd get a second opinion.

 

they make offset bearings too. but depending on how much they are shot would tell you if you need new axle shafts.

if you take the seal out to replace you might as well do axle bearings too.

 

if anyone has a Dillan 30 cal. minigun, shoot me a PM -Mike-

 

today I jacked up the truck, took the rear wheels off and the drums off. Passenger side looked high and dry. The drivers side in the center of the brakes, there was some wet sludge grease build up but the brakes were fine. This tells me it's been leaking for sometime now but it's a very very slow seapage kinda leak.

One other thing, I started the truck and put it in "D" and watched both sides see If I could see something(I know probably not the smartest thing to do, but cool to see anyway) not a drop spilled out. I let it sit there and run for a good 1/2 hour so that should've been plenty of time to heat up and thin down the gear oil. I reved it up a few times and while reving it, I kept hearing this whirling kinda sound. Best way I can describe it is when you can hear disc brakes engage only slightly louder. That's my only suspicious evidence that the axle bearings could be going south or is just normal because of all the moving parts? I'll keep my eye on the gear oil and let it ride -Mike-

 

I just picked my truck up from getting new calipers and pads up front. They wanted to repair my right rear axle seal because it was leaking. My rear brakes have always been crappy (i.e. locking up when wet under 5mph) and were replaced at 65k miles because the shoes broke in half. They need replaced again but do I need to spend the money to replace the seals? It is something I can do myself? They want $215 total + $70 for fluid ($30 parts $255 labor). I just changed the gear oil 15k miles ago with no issues.

Anyone done this before, I havent noticed any fluid on my rim or on the ground and when I replaced the gear oil before it wasnt even low. I am not willing to pay $255 in labor unless I have to.

Thoughts? Thanks, Jeff

 

I still don't trust dealers.
About a year ago, I took my ranger in because it wouldn't heat (bad thermostat). They took about 2 hours to diagnose what I had already told them & took another 2 hours to replace the thermostat, flush & fill the coolant & "do their FoRd quality inspection".
While I was waiting, several other customers were in & out & I could hear everything their mechanics told them about their car/trucks. In 8 out of 10 cases, the mechanic(s) told the car owner they "needed to have their transmission fluid & filter changed because it was in bad shape". Several of the customers gave the go-ahead for the $300 service. When the mechanic came out to talk to me, I immediately asked him how my transmission fluid looked (just to see what he'd say). Of course he said it was pretty bad & should be changed immediately... at the cost of about $300.

I told him to read this slip of paper I had ripped from a magazine while waiting... on the paper I had written "transmission fluid & filter should be changed immediately". The guy freaked out.
He probably still thinks I'm a psychic.

 

i dont trust anyone. I wont allow anyone to work on my truck unless i can watch em and if they come up with a diagnosis i ask them to show me .Years back i had a plymouth wagon and i took it to Sears for a wheel allignment. the technician told me i needed ball jints and i laughed and made them show me why the brand new ball joints i just installed were bad. The manager did the allignment for nothing while i sat in the bay so I wouldnt start a scene there. Anyone who is an honest mechanic will show you why somethignis bad and will let you watch
Like others said bearings will have play in em Usually when bad they will sing too. as to the seal if its the wheel seal yes it will elak out of the seal into the brakes and drum and onto the wheel if its the seal by the driveshaft it will leak there.
Make your dealer show you what is wrong and why.. ya now Ford dealers are also notorious for doing unnecessary repairs to keep their bottom lines up ( if fords aint selling the service has to run bills up to leep the doors open)

 

I do all my own work, I dont trust anyone else to do it. I had a rear axle seal go bad and if it leaks for any amount of time and soaks the brakes and if they look good or not I would replace them. You can do the seal replacement yourself but it does invloce removing the diff cover and removing the axle to the side you need to service. I had my truck down that far, I replaced the seals on both sides.

 

I agree with Bob, that a good shop will show you what's wrong. Not all shops are honest, but I used to work in one that was and i know others. Sadly we were often in the business of second opinions for plenty of others that weren't. I agree--the shops that can show you what is wrong and explain why are the ones to work with. But of course can save all the heartache by learning about it (like on here) and even doing it yourself if possible. But sadly it isn't always possible to do everything in your backyard. And even though at those times it might be difficult but find an honorable mechanic/shop , once found, return and return again. Be a loyal customer. Keep 'em in business by letting your friends know--for all our sakes.

 

That's why you learn to change everything yourself, know someone that can, or get a good mechanic that knows their ****. FvcK Ford dealerships...