Need to remove the ring gear assy to replace the pinion shaft bearing

Replacing the pinion bearing in a 2004 BA Falcon Ute can be a complex and challenging task. Here are the general steps to follow:

1. First, raise the rear of the vehicle securely on jack stands and remove the driveshaft from the rear differential.
2. Drain the gear oil from the differential and remove the rear cover.
3. Remove the retaining bolt from the pinion yoke, and use a puller to remove the yoke from the pinion shaft.
4. Use a suitable tool to remove the pinion nut and washer.
5. Mark the location of the pinion flange relative to the pinion shaft to maintain proper gear mesh alignment when reassembling.
6. Carefully remove the pinion flange from the pinion shaft.
7. Use a bearing puller tool to remove the old pinion bearing from the pinion housing.
8. Install a new pinion bearing onto the pinion shaft using a bearing installation tool.
9. Reassemble the pinion flange, washer, and nut onto the pinion shaft.
10. Use a torque wrench to tighten the pinion nut to the proper torque specification.
11. Reinstall the rear cover and refill the differential with the recommended gear oil.
12. Reinstall the driveshaft, making sure to properly align the yoke to the pinion flange.
13. Lower the vehicle off the jack stands and test drive to ensure proper operation.

Yhis is going to be a difficult repair for the novice mechanic. If you do attempt this repair take your time and go slow marking all the parts you take off. What you are going to do is use an EZ OUT to remove the remainder of the bolt. I have gotten away with using a long drill bit on some applications so the drill motor clears the diff housing. If that works in your case then you have a fairly easy job to do. If it wont clear the housing so you have a straight shot, ypu will need to loosen the bearing retainer cap on the right side quite a bit. Then start to loosen the left side retainer cap bolts about 2 turns. At this point you should be able to gently pry the ring gear assy out of the right side of the carrier, enough to get access to the broken bolt. I know the axle is still in place but you should be able to move the ring gear assy enough to do the job. Make sure you clean any debris out of the housing when you are done.

Fully rebuild, or partial rebuild? Pinion, ring, spider gears, pumpkin, bearings? Rebuilding it FULLY and PROPERLY is a big story, one too big to relate here, and it takes quite a lot of special tooling (differential spreader, dial indicators, etc). Please don't attempt this unless you have a well equipped shop.

If you just need to replace the spider gears, that's easy. Drain the oil, remove the cover, rotate the pumpkin until you can unbolt the crosspin. Push/pull the crosspin out, rotate the spider gears until they come out. Remove the side gears. Remove all four thrust washers.

Replace all four thrust washers, then the new side gears, then mesh the new spider gears with the side gears & rotate them into place. If the crosspin hole won't line up, rotate one axle shaft until it does. Install the new crosspin and bolt it in. Replace the cover gasket and cover, refill.

Going further requires a LOT more work, but you'll need to remove the spider & side gears first anyway. If you're replacing bearings or the pumpkin or the ring & pinion, you'll need a bunch of new shims to work with until you can get the ring-pinion clearance exactly right. You'll also need a differential spreader to get enough space to remove/install the pumpkin with its bearings in place. If you're replacing the pinion gear, you'll need to take some painfully exact measurements or you'll NEVER get the ring/pinion clearances correct.

You can remove it in pl;lace.

what about it?

conventional axle or limited slip? Get axle code off door sticker.

SECTION 205-02: Rear Drive Axle/Differential - Ford 8.8-Inch Ring Gear 1998 Explorer/Mountaineer Workshop Manual
IN-VEHICLE REPAIR Rear Wheel Bearing and Axle Shaft Oil Seal -4.0L SOHC and 4.0L EI, Conventional
Special Tool(s) Axle Seal Replacer
T83T-1175-A Axle Wheel Bearing Puller
T83T-1225-A Axle Wheel Bearing Replacer
T83T-1225-B Driver Handle
T80T-4000-W Impact Slide Hammer
T50T-100-A
Removal

1. Remove the axle shaft; refer to Axle Shaft in this section.

Axle Shaft Removal

1. CAUTION: Do not use heat to loosen a seized lug nut. Heat can damage the wheel (1007) and the rear wheel bearings (1225).
   Loosen the lug nuts (1012).
   1. Remove the center cap.
   1. With the weight of the vehicle on the wheels, loosen the lug nuts.

1. Raise and support the vehicle.

1. Remove the wheel and tire assembly.
   1. Remove the lug nuts.
   1. Remove the wheel and tire assembly.

1. Remove the axle housing cover (4033).
   1. Loosen the axle housing cover bolts (4346) and drain the rear axle (4001).
   1. Remove the axle housing cover bolts.
   1. Remove the axle housing cover.

1. Remove the rear disc brake rotors (2C026); refer to Section 206-04 .

1. CAUTION: Once the differential pinion shaft (4211) has been removed, turning the differential case (4204) or an axle shaft (4234) will cause the differential pinion gears (4215) to fall out of the assembly. This could result in chipped or damaged components.
   Remove the differential pinion shaft.
   1. Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.
   1. Remove the differential pinion shaft.

1. CAUTION: Do not damage the rubber O-rings in the U-washer grooves.
   Remove the U-washers (4N237).
   1. Push the axle shafts inboard.
   1. Remove the U-washers.

1. Reinstall the differential pinion shaft.
   1. Install the differential pinion shaft.
   1. Install the differential pinion shaft lock bolt finger-tight.

1. CAUTION: Do not damage the inner wheel bearing oil seal (1177).
   Remove the two axle shafts.

Installation

1. Lubricate the lip of the inner wheel bearing oil seal.
   • Use Premium Long-Life Grease XG-1-C or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESA-M1C75-B.

1. CAUTION: Once the differential pinion shaft has been removed, turning the differential case or an axle shaft will cause the differential pinion gears to fall out of the assembly. This could result in chipped or damaged components.
   Remove the differential pinion shaft.
   1. Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.
   1. Remove the differential pinion shaft.

1. CAUTION: Do not damage the inner wheel bearing oil seal.
   Install the two axle shafts.

1. CAUTION: Do not damage the rubber O-rings in the U-washer grooves.
   Install the U-washers.
   1. Position the two U-washers on the button end of the axle shafts.
   1. Pull the axle shafts outward.

1. Install the differential pinion shaft.
   1. Align the hole in the differential pinion shaft with the differential pinion shaft lock bolt hole.
   1. Install the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.

1. Install the rear disc brake rotors; refer to Section 206-04 .

1. Install the axle housing cover and fill the rear axle housing (4010) with 2.4 liters (5.5 pints) of specified lubricant; refer to Axle Housing Cover in this section.

1. WARNING: Always remove any corrosion, dirt or foreign material that may be present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub or rear disc brake rotor that contacts the wheel. Installing wheels without proper metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the lug nut to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control.
   Clean the wheel hub and mounting surfaces.

1. Install the tire and wheel assembly.
   1. Position the tire and wheel assembly.
   1. Install the lug nuts and lower the vehicle.
   1. Tighten the lug nuts.
   1. Install the center cap.

1. CAUTION: Never remove the axle shaft oil seal by itself. Always remove the rear wheel bearing and the axle shaft oil seal at the same time.
   NOTE: If the axle shaft oil seal is leaking, the axle housing vent may be plugged with debris.
   Use Impact Slide Hammer and Axle Wheel Bearing Puller to remove the rear wheel bearing and the axle shaft oil seal.

Installation

1. Lubricate the new rear wheel bearing.
   1. Use Thermally Stable Rear Axle Lubricant XY-80W90-QL or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSP-M2C197-A.

1. Use Axle Wheel Bearing Replacer with Driver Handle to install the rear wheel bearing.

1. Lubricate the lip of the new axle shaft oil seal.
   • Use Premium Long-Life Grease XG-1-C or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESA-M1C75-B.

1. Use Axle Seal Replacer with Driver Handle to install the axle shaft oil seal.

1. Install the axle shaft; refer to Axle Shaft in this section.

Top of Form 1
Raise the vehicle and remove the rear wheels.
Clean all dirt from the housing cover and remove the housing cover to drain the lubricant.
Remove the brake drum.
Rotate the differential case until the differential pinion shaft lockscrew can be removed. Remove the lockscrew and pinion shaft.
Push the axle shafts toward the center of the vehicle and remove the C-locks from the grooves on the axle shafts.
Pull the axle shafts from the housing, being careful not to damage the bearing which remains in the housing.
Inspect the axle shaft bearings and replace any doubtful parts. Whenever the axle shaft is replaced, the bearings should also be replaced.
Remove the axle shaft seal from the bore in the housing, using the button end of the axle shaft.
Remove the axle shaft bearing from the housing. Do not reuse the bearing or the seal.
Check the bearing shoulder in the axle housing for imperfections. These should be corrected with a file or polish.

Sounds like the original wear pattern of the ring and pinion was disturbed when the pinion was tightened too much. Once a wear pattern is set in the gears you can't really change it. It might be the ring and pinion wearing that you are hearing and not a bearing at all. It's not the worst thing in the world but will cause the ring and pinion to wear improperly and is annoying. Differential work needs to be done by someone that really knows their stuff to avoid these little problems.

Ring and Pinion may need replacing. Also check preload on the pinion bearings. Nut on end yoke may be loose. Sometimes the axle gears will make a clunking noise if worn out.Check out drive shaft ujoints, May have to remove ring gear and pinion to check for wear.

In short yes, the bearing is pressed on the pinion gear, the only way it will come out is to remove cover on housing and pull carrier with ring gear out, and also yoke that drive shaft bolts to, then pinion will come out, there is also a crush sleve that will have to be replaced when it goes back together it goes over the pinion gear, thats for backlash ajustment when you tighten the pinion back in the housing. if you plan on doing this yourself you will also need a dial indicater to set the backlash. If you want my advise take it to a shop to have it done, if you don't get it right it could end up costing you alot more than if you took it someware and had it done.