How to Replace the Rear Wheel Bearings on a 1991 Lincoln Town Car

Ford's Linclon Division introduced the Town Car as a seperate model in 1981. The Town Car shares a platform with the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Mercury Marauder, thus many mechanical components are the same. The Town Car uses a solid rear end with semi-floating C-clip type axles. Unlike the earlier Ford 8- and 9-inch rear ends that had the bearings pressed onto the axle shafts, the bearings in the Town Car's are housed behind oil seals in the axle tubes.

Instructions

Park the Town Car on a level, paved surface and place wheel chocks in front of the front wheels. Open the trunk and turn off the air suspension, using the switch located in the passenger side of the trunk. Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheel, or wheels if replacing the axles on both sides. Raise the rear of the Town Car with a jack and support with jack stands. Finish removing the lug nuts and wheels.

Remove the bolts from the caliper with a ratchet and socket. Support the caliper by tying it to the frame with a piece of wire. Repeat for the other caliper.

Clean the area around the differential cover with a wire brush then spray with parts cleaner and wipe with a shop rag. This will help remove dirt from the area and prevent it from getting into the differential when you remove the cover.

Slide a drain pan under the differential. Loosen the bolts on the differential cover with a ratchet and socket. Remove all but the top three bolts to help control the release of the gear oil. Unscrew the top bolts half way. Break the seal between cover and housing, using a putty knife inserted between both parts. Having the cover held on at the top will help to keep the gear oil from making a mess when it breaks loose from the housing.

Remove the top bolts and the cover. Scrape any gasket sealer from the cover with a putty knife. Spray the inside of the cover with parts cleaner and wipe clean with shop rags.

Wipe out the bottom of the differential housing with a shop rag. Remove any gasket sealer from the housing with a putty knife. Do not spray parts cleaner into the differential.

Rotate the differential until you see the end of the pinion shaft it runs through the differential carrier and the shaft bolt. Remove the bolt with a ratchet and socket. Slide the shaft partially out of the carrier. You do not have to pull it all the way out, just far enough to clear the ends of the axles.

Push the axle in towards the differential. You will be able to see the C-clip that rides in a groove in the end of the axle. Pull out the clip with needle-nosed pliers. Slide the axle out of the axle tube. Repeat for the other side if you are replacing both bearings. Do not mix up the axles. They have to go back in their original positions.

Remove the oil seal an axle bearing by sliding bearing puller attached to a slide hammer through the oil seal and bearing to engage the outer bearing race. Work the slide hammer to pull off the bearing in seal. Repeat for the other axle if desired.

Coat the new bearing with SAE 80W-90 GL-5 gear oi, then drive the bearing into the axle tube until it seats against the shoulder in the tube, using a bearing installer and hammer. Coat the outside and inside of the new oil seal with gear oil, then drive the oil seal into place with the bearing installer and hammer.

Slide the axle into the tube. Be careful not to damage the seal. Slide the C-clip into the end of the axle. Pull the axle out slightly to seat the clip in the side gear.

Push in the pinion shaft. Install the pinion bolt and torque it to 22 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Spread a thin film of gasket sealer on the housing cover. Press a new gasket onto the cover. Mount the cover and install the bolts finger tight. Snug the bolts down with a ratchet and socket then, working in a crisscross pattern, torque the bolts to 33 foot-pounds.

Mount the caliper and install the bolts. Torque the bolts to between 19 and 26 foot-pounds.

Remove the filler plug from the front driver's side of the differential housing with a ratchet and fill it with SAE 80W-90 gear oil until the oil reaches the bottom of the filler hole. Install and tighten the plug.

Mount the wheels and install the lug nuts. Raise the rear of the Town Car, remove the jack stands and lower it to the ground. Torque the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds. Turn on the air-suspension.