Ford 9" Gear Oil Replacement and Cleaning the Interior of the Housing

I have never changed the fluid in the rear axle since I build the TBucket in 1979, so it
was time to do so. I talked with GRT1999 (Gary) about a small problem I'm having
where the car twitches a little entering a long sweeping corner on the highway. It's
happens when the clutches in the Traction-Lok final begin slipping, until that happens
the car wants to go straight. It's a minor annoyance and most people who driven the
car don't even notice, but I do. Gary talked me into just changing the fluid and adding
two bottle of friction modifier, instead of sending him the 3rd member.

I found that a Lowe's two gallon bucket fits very nicely and keeps the dirt out and
would allow painting if needed.

 

my center section from Quick Performance came like that. Now I have a new shop seat

 

I expect that brass fill plug to be polished when it goes back in! Lol

 

I'm wondering if I need to worry about the rear axle fluid leaking around the studs and along the threads?

I know they came with copper washers, did you use them or did you do something else to seal the 3rd member?

 

Copper washers on any I work on.........

 

Thanks !

Still seems like there is a leak path along the threads and past the nut ? Just trying to understand.

 

Did the friction modifier help? I had a similar issue with the rear end that I built for my IROC Z and was very pleasantly surprised when such a simple resolve actually worked.

 

The project has grown in scope and therefore has taken longer than I expected in the beginning. So at this point I have not driven the car to know if the problem is gone. Thanks for asking thou !!!

I finally noticed after all these years that the rear drums were not exactly the same shape, so I decided to get new ones while I could. Well that lead to new springs and that lead to ..... etc. The brakes are nearly completely new down to the springs, shoes, wheels cylinders and drums.

Then I figured out that Cerakote MC-5100 for polished aluminum is impervious to brake cleaners and also Acetone. I did the test below and I already had experience with acetone. This Cerakote feels like a non-stick skillet, it very slick and hard. So I coated the inside of the brake drums, wheel cylinders, axle retainer plate and nuts.

Cerakote - CERAKOTE CLEAR - ALUMINUM





While I had the chance I drilled the axle housing for a drain plug. I used this steel block to keep my drill straight.
Drain Plug PN: Votex DP004 (1/2"-20 x 25mm)


Got to have some magnets, so I added 4 Samarium Cobalt disk magnets and a magnet drain plug.

SmCo Samarium Cobalt Disc Magnets - Applied Magnets - Magnet4less



Also instead of painting where the wheel seats on the drum I used Cerakote there. Before the wheel would always pull the paint off the drum, I'm hoping this will solve that problem. I should be able to just spray Brakleen whenever I have the brakes open and it won't remove my coating. I'm planning on spraying my valve covers at some point, I'm really liking this coating.




.

 

May I ask where you bought the cerakote? The places I've found want you to be an applicator/ dealer or you can't buy it. I'd like to coat my manifold. It's not polished but I want it to stay clean and sparkly. What does everyone use to clean up their aluminum?

 

I bought it direct from Cerakote, just use the link.

https://www.cerakote.com/shop/cerakote-coating/MC-5100/cerakote-clear-aluminum

If you mean clean it just before applying the Cerakote, you can use dish soap. There
is also an application guide available on the webpage.


.

 

Thank you for the link. I'm thinking of using it on my intake manifold. It's not polished and I made the mistake of using simple green on it. It cleaned it but it's turned a bit grey. Going to try simple "Extreme Simple Green" It's formulated for cleaning gas, oil, and exhaust from aircraft aluminum. When it's cleaned up I want to coat it so it stays nice looking.

 

Don't make a mistake during the application, nothing will take it off. I've tested with Acetone and brake fluid and neither one will even phase it. You would have to blast it off. But don't worry too much it's very easy to apply. Any runs will flow out.

I've been going to the automotive paint store and have them put it in a rattle can, that way I get a good spray pattern.

 

that stuff reminds me of the old days. My brother a I sprayed some coating on my car back in the early 80's..nothing work take it off short of 60 grit. Also reminds me of painting my car in imrom. Got a bit of fish eye on the hood....2 hours with 120 wet and barely made a dent. gave up and buffed it out.

 

Thought I would report back on this problem that I noted in the first post of this thread.

Until now I had not driven it in the right conditions to test the problem until yesterday when I took 120 mile trip to car show in Rush Springs Oklahoma and the Watermelon Festival. I'm glad to report that the problem has complete gone away. Thanks to Gary for talking me out of sending the unit to him and just changing the fluid and adding two bottles of friction modifier.
.