Creaky leaky Rear End

rickbtbird

Registered User
I'm hoping to have my 95 back on the road by the end of July so I can garage the 90 until spring. I got under the rear of that car today due to a creak in the suspension. Upon inspection I found that the arm to sub frame bolt bushing on each side of the car creak when you bounce the rear end. I'm almost sure the shocks are done too. I was wondering if there's a bushing rebuild kit for the rear suspension. Not that I'm worried about the creak but it's got to be a sign of worse things to come if I don't get to it. If it’s not too expensive I’m hoping to do that rebuild over the winter.

I did find one other problem that I think might be a much bigger issue and I'm not quite sure how to deal with it. While doing the rear inspection I noticed some rear end oil buildup around the passenger’s side half shaft. It was all over the boot and in the half shaft well.

Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
I'm hoping to have my 95 back on the road by the end of July so I can garage the 90 until spring. I got under the rear of that car today due to a creak in the suspension. Upon inspection I found that the arm to sub frame bolt bushing on each side of the car creak when you bounce the rear end. I'm almost sure the shocks are done too. I was wondering if there's a bushing rebuild kit for the rear suspension. Not that I'm worried about the creak but it's got to be a sign of worse things to come if I don't get to it. If it’s not too expensive I’m hoping to do that rebuild over the winter.

I did find one other problem that I think might be a much bigger issue and I'm not quite sure how to deal with it. While doing the rear inspection I noticed some rear end oil buildup around the passenger’s side half shaft. It was all over the boot and in the half shaft well.

Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If the oil is at the diff side, then its probably the seals where the half shaft goes into the diff... no biggy to replace those.
 
I haven't seen an article for that. Look up articles on pulling the half shafts out which isn't that hard to do. If it is a diff seal, you'll probably have fluid running down the side of the diff as well.

After pulling the caliper off and hanging it, I simply removed the three bolts holding the rear knuckle on and gently pulled a little bit. Then put a pry bar between the ABS disc and the diff and very gently pried on it on the direction of the hub till I felt a slight pop. Then just gently pulled the knuckle and ease the shaft out. Do NOT let the boots catch on anything or you will be SOL. After that, just get one of those seal removers (kinda looks like a small hook) and pop the seal out, then carefully tap in a new one.

I think that should about take care of it.

If it isn't the diff that is leaking, then you may have a bigger problem, as it could be the boot is ripped on the shaft and your seeing the grease from it being sprayed around. Start hunting around for a replacement.
 
I'll try to get some picture tomorrow and post them here. I was thinking of doing two things right now.
  • Insure the differental if full with oil.
  • Clean the boot and the area around where the build up occurred and see if it builds up again.

And, I just educated myself on pricing for half shafts. It appears I can get replacement half shafts between $60.00 and $85.00. Should they be done in pairs? Also how much is the labor verse time I would put in trying to replace them myself?

Thanks in advance...
 
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Half shafts are a cake walk as long as you have a good impact and an air hammer.

1)Take the center cap off of the wheel
2)Remove the 36mm (may be 35mm) nut that holds the shaft in the rear knuckle.
3)Air hammer the shaft inward until it moves about an inch
4)Jack it up and support it with a jack stand FROM THE SUBFRAME ALLOWING YOU TO HAVE THE LCA MOVABLE
5)Support the LCA with a jack at a semi-compressed rate and remove the wheel so you can access the shock
6)Remove the lower shock nut and take it loose from the LCA
7)Remove the upper bolt from the upper arm and let the knuckle fall towards you
8)Push the halfshaft the rest of the way through the knuckle
9)Replace the upper arm bolt back into the knuckle AND the control arm to support it and remove the jack
10)Take a large pry bar or screw driver and shove it between the rear end housing and the axle, and pry that bad boy out.

May be a step I have forgotton, but that is the jist of it.

Chris
 
Make sure those are for the SC and not an LX or a moostang. It has to have the ABS rings on it, and from what I saw, the SC thin shaft is thicker than the LX shafts. My SC and another SC I pulled apart had fat shafts as well which are thicker yet. The 35th I stripped down had only the thin shafts on both sides.

The shafts rarely go so long as the boot doesn't get ripped, and you don't dump 400HP at them with a clutch dump ;)
 
Half shafts are a cake walk as long as you have a good impact and an air hammer.

1)Take the center cap off of the wheel
2)Remove the 36mm (may be 35mm) nut that holds the shaft in the rear knuckle.
3)Air hammer the shaft inward until it moves about an inch
4)Jack it up and support it with a jack stand FROM THE SUBFRAME ALLOWING YOU TO HAVE THE LCA MOVABLE
5)Support the LCA with a jack at a semi-compressed rate and remove the wheel so you can access the shock
6)Remove the lower shock nut and take it loose from the LCA
7)Remove the upper bolt from the upper arm and let the knuckle fall towards you
8)Push the halfshaft the rest of the way through the knuckle
9)Replace the upper arm bolt back into the knuckle AND the control arm to support it and remove the jack
10)Take a large pry bar or screw driver and shove it between the rear end housing and the axle, and pry that bad boy out.

May be a step I have forgotton, but that is the jist of it.

Chris

If your going to take the large nut off at the hub end, then you need to go to Ford and buy a new one as those are not resusable.
 
Picture of the half shaft

Here's a pic of the halfshare and you'll notice where all the buildup is. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming that this is rear end oil :confused: ? What parts do I need to fix it?

Sorry about the image quality but I was on the ground with my phone/camera.:p
 

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You CAN reuse the nuts and I have done so MANY times. In fact, my 145XXX mile car has over 20K on the reused nuts at the rear end.

The oil lube could be from the pinion seal as well, look up front and make sure it is not leaking there and running back.

Chris
 
You CAN reuse the nuts and I have done so MANY times. In fact, my 145XXX mile car has over 20K on the reused nuts at the rear end.
Have you reused them on both the driver's and passenger's side? The reason I ask is that I know others that have had luck reusing the passenger side, but not the driver's side nut. Personally, I'd just spend the little bit of money and replace the nut.
 
Here's a pic of the halfshare and you'll notice where all the buildup is. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming that this is rear end oil :confused: ? What parts do I need to fix it?

Sorry about the image quality but I was on the ground with my phone/camera.:p


Ok guys... if you review the pics in the previous post, can you tell me what I need to replace?
 
Have you reused them on both the driver's and passenger's side? The reason I ask is that I know others that have had luck reusing the passenger side, but not the driver's side nut. Personally, I'd just spend the little bit of money and replace the nut.

I know I sure wouldn't risk mine or anyone else's neck taking a chance on a cheap part like that.

To each there own I guess.
 
Yep...same on both sides. I will have to go out tomorrow and throw a tq wrench on it and post if it has lost any of its torque. Sans that, I have not had a problem.

As far as the original post goes, I would have to see a better or all over pic of what is leaking. It appears that it was the CV boot in one pic, but it is hard to tell since it looks like old grease.

Chris
 
Half-Shaft Installation by George Davenport

Guys, please take this "NUT" discussion to another thread please. I started this topic so I can understand what I need to do to fix my rear end problems.

Here's a Half-Shaft article by George, Document Last Modified: 07/28/04 11:33 PM.
Ford Thunderbird SC Rear Half-Shaft Installation.
I'm starting a list of parts I may need for the rebuild of the rear end this winter.
  • Left and right CV half shafts.
  • Upper and Lower control arm bushings
  • Shock isolator kit.
  • Rear Shocks
  • What else??
 
You need to get a better pic of the leak to see if that is were you are leaking from. It may need the pumpkin seal there at the shaft as well. Those just pop out with a seal puller after you get the shaft out, and knock back in with a hammer till its flush (in the event it is leaking). But you know you can replace the boot on that thing without purchasing a new shaft right?

Chris
 
Like I said, it looks like CV grease to me, and you could replace the axle seal in the diff housing while you have the axle out.
 
I am not 100% sure it is CV grease though. Smell it and see if it is rear lube. If you dont know what that smells like, you are in for a treat. It smells like all that is good and pure and tasty. Oh wait....its more like prison sex...

Chris
 
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