ok. Hi ,I have a 91 aerostar. Not used in 5 years. Nothing to lose. I had leak in rear end. I have a choice. Anybody know what is easier? Change entire rear end assembly, or pull axles and rear out and use from another aerostar??

Forgot to  really   mention.    I originally drove over something  and punctured   the cover. Heard it  making noise several days after. OK       So added    90 wt   lube and tried to seal hole.  This   kept  going on for over 20  K miles    .   Till the rear  seized.   And I  bought a  complete axle assembly from a junk yard.     So what is simpler. Pull both axles, clean it out, remove rear, Reinstall rear, axles from other  aerostar.     Thats what I am asking.          Since then I drove a 97 aerostar 145 K milkes       and   a 2002 F250  137K miles. F250 still in use.

Scott

Unless you have a dial indicator and know how to set proper gear backlash and how to add or subtract shims to achieve this clearance and like doing this type of thing lying under the van, I'd go with swapping out the entire rear axle assembly.

Bill. I will  use your advice    cause I don't have  the tools  like you say.       I did buy a complete  assembly   from a junk yard for  $125                  back when it  seized up. This 91 was fun to drive  with its  manual transmission. Thanks.

Bill

You might gut the in-vehicle casing to see if any damage is done, if not swap the internals into the in-vehicle casing since it's already tightened and working other than the internal parts.    

You switch the entire assembly, or put new seals in your existing assembly, and reuse your old parts.  You DO NOT swap used parts from another differential into your existing one; use NEW parts if that's what you want to do.   Preston

Wouldn't hurt to gut the damaged one first to     see         .  Sure.

Russ