Dana 60 full-floating wheel bearing

[F250_71]

Hello,
I have a technical question about oiling the wheel bearing on a Dana 60 full-floating rear axle, how does it work? I had to pull the axles because I had to do work on the brakes and I'm wondering how the oil is transported to the wheel bearings , can someone explain that to me.

Thank you.
Manuel

[cep62]

When the differential is at the proper level , the oil will run down the housing and lube the bearings.

[F250_71]

Yes, ok, I shined a flashlight inside and noticed that the axle tube tapers towards the wheel hub. How does the oil rise above this “level” to reach the wheel bearings in the brake drum?

Here is another drawing where you can see that the axle tapers.

[cep62]

Look at the plug in the back cover. That's the full level.
You only need oil too the bottom part of the bearing . It'll climb on it's own.

[F250_71]

Many thanks for your response.

[cep62]

You're welcome.

[66f250cs]

The Ford shop manual states in bold that the outer bearings are to be packed with grease. Many people assume that the gear fluid will travel to the outer bearing but the clearance between the diff tube and the axle is quite tight. It will take a long time for fluid to get to the outer bearing and that is assumed that the diff is up to the proper level. Also, if the one side of the truck has been raised, the fluid will travel to the low side and starve the high side for lubricant. It won't take long to trash the bearings without the proper lube, and one of these two bearings is quite pricey as I recall, the other one is not too expensive. Been a while since I've done the outer bearings.

[F250_71]

Hello, I didn't do that, I put the wheel bearings in differential oil and put some differential oil in the wheel hub so that lubrication is guaranteed directly. I hope that's enough. How do you do that? Doesn't the oil wash the grease out of the bearing over time anyway?

[66f250cs]

Howdy. I don't know if a bearing bathed in diff fluid is adequate for proper lubrication. I just follow the Ford shop manual procedures/recommendations. I can say that there is a guy up the road from me with a 76 F250 that had his truck towed to the Ford dealer for rear repair. His outer bearing seized and spun in the housing end and was not repairable. Cost him $3,500 for a junkyard rear. I think the dealer took him but he was just happy to get his truck back for hauling hay. I believe grease is just a petroleum-based material to hold and leach oil. Maybe hot diff oil will break down the grease eventually but maybe someone else can chime in.