Rear Axles shifting 1/2” each way

[vonD1025]

So I’ve been getting a weird hollow knocking off road in my rear driver side axle. Took the tire off and checked everything to be sure it was tight. After I jacked up the whole truck and if you push on the tire it’s shifts both sides about 1/2” each way. Anyone ever have this issue that can point me in the right direction?

 

[55trucker]

Sounds almost like there's an issue with the axle shaft retaining c-clips inside the diff housing. 1/2" movement total on each side is excessive.

 

[vonD1025]

Ok that’s kinda what I was thinking. You think it’s still ok to drive at the moment as long as I’m not hitting the trails?

 

[55trucker]

Those 2 c-clips are kept in place by the locking cross pin, if there is enough back & forth movement on the axles to allow either of the c-clips to drop out then you could have a shaft dislocate itself from the diff & one of the spider gears will displace itself & become ground up.

 

[vonD1025]

Those 2 c-clips are kept in place by the locking cross pin, if there is enough back & forth movement on the axles to allow either of the c-clips to drop out then you could have a shaft dislocate itself from the diff & one of the spider gears will displace itself & become ground up.

Good to know! Thank you

 

[55trucker]

It's worth opening up the diff for an inspection.

 

[scotts90ranger]

If it is a limited slip axle, it's most likely that the clutches are just shot which puts a lot of play in the spider gears and the axles can go in and out like that.

 

[vonD1025]

If it is a limited slip axle, it's most likely that the clutches are just shot which puts a lot of play in the spider gears and the axles can go in and out like that.

Yeah it’s got the limited slip. I’m going to pull apart the rear end but how would I check that?

 

[Curious Hound]

Yeah it’s got the limited slip. I’m going to pull apart the rear end but how would I check that?

When you take off the cover, pull he wheel/axle out as far as it will go. Then measure the gap between the end of the axle and the cross pin. I don’t know what the spec is. But It probably should not be much more than 3/16”. When you push the axle all the way in until it touches the cross pin, you should just barely start to see the c-clip. If you can see the whole c-clip and can pull it out or almost pull it out, then there is way too much wear in the LS clutch discs. If the c-clip can be fully exposed like that, it could fall out. Then there is nothing holding your axle shaft in.

 

[scotts90ranger]

If it has a limited slip, just assume it's trashed at this point, go to a junkyard and open up another Ranger 7.5" with a limited slip if you can find one and take all of the shims out of it then you only have to drain your diff once and you'll get practice... It would be a good idea to take the cross pin retainer bolt from there too in case yours is broken (it happens...). The only tools you should need are the 1/2" wrench/socket to get the cover bolts out, a putty knife/scraper to get the cover off, a 5/16"/8mm wrench and a butane torch (for the loctite) to get the cross pin bolt out and some pliers/pry bar to get the S spring out.

Ford arranges the steels and clutches in an odd way, you can rearrange them to get more friction and add another plate to the stack to make it tighter...