Richmond 83-1047-1 master kit for the Ford Super 8.8 rear: Koyo carrier and pinion bearings, pinion seal, nut, crush sleeve and marking compound.
If your 2015-or-newer F-150 or S550 Mustang has started to howl from the rear on the highway, or the pinion yoke has developed play you can feel by hand, the bearings in the Super 8.8 are the usual suspect. Richmond Gear 83-1047-1 is a master bearing kit for that axle. It packs Koyo tapered bearings for the carrier and both pinion positions along with the seal, nut, preload part and setup supplies, so a regear or a noise rebuild can be finished in one teardown.
Ford redesigned the 8.8 for the 2015 model year in both solid-axle F-150 and independent-rear Mustang form. The Super 8.8 is easy to spot by its 12-bolt cover, and inside it runs larger bearings, a longer pinion with a bigger nut, and 34-spline axles or half shafts. Two tapered pinion bearings hold the pinion at the depth the gear set was built for, and the crush sleeve and nut keep them under preload. Two carrier bearings hold the ring gear against the pinion at the backlash set by the side shims. When any of these bearings wears or the preload relaxes, the pinion shifts under load, the tooth contact moves off center and the gears begin to sing. Because the bearing sizes changed with the redesign, the older 10-bolt 8.8 kits do not fit this axle.
Clutch chatter in tight turns is a different problem. That points to the limited slip and its fluid, not to bearings.
Road test first and note exactly when the noise happens. Pinion bearing and gear noise usually changes between drive and coast, carrier bearing noise is steadier, and wheel bearing noise changes as you load one side in a sweeping turn. Our pinion bearing noise guide and the whine diagnosis guide walk through the test. Then, parked and in neutral, grab the yoke and push, pull and rock it. A clunk means preload is gone, and tightening the nut on a worn sleeve does not bring the bearings back.
This kit is for the Ford Super 8.8 rear differential only: the 12-bolt-cover, 34-spline version Ford introduced for 2015 in the F-150 and the Mustang. It does not fit the earlier 8.8 with the 10-bolt cover, the 7.5, the 9.75 or a front 8.8 IFS unit. The solid-axle truck and independent-rear Mustang housings are different assemblies, so count your cover bolts, read the axle tag and compare the old bearing numbers against the ones in the box. If you are unsure which axle you have, send us the year and VIN before ordering. For a Super 8.8 that also needs gears, the Yukon 3.73 gear set for the 2015-up F-150 8.8 pairs with this kit, and a Yukon Trac Loc for the Super 8.8 can go in while the carrier is out. A comparable alternative is the 2015-up 8.8 master overhaul kit.
| Fits | Ford Super 8.8 inch rear differential |
| Part number | Richmond Gear 83-1047-1 |
| Bearings | Koyo tapered carrier, front pinion and rear pinion bearings (pilot where applicable) |
| Includes | Bearings and races, pinion seal, pinion nut, crush sleeve or preload shim pack, cover gasket or RTV, marking compound, brush |
| Weight | 8.16 lb |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. It is for the 2015-up Super 8.8, which has a 12-bolt cover, larger bearings and a longer pinion. The earlier 10-bolt 8.8 needs a different master kit.
Both use the Super 8.8 design, but the truck is a solid axle and the Mustang is an independent rear, so confirm against your axle tag and old bearing numbers, or send us your year and VIN and we will check it.
No. A crush sleeve deforms once to set preload and cannot be crushed again correctly. Use the new sleeve and nut from the kit whenever the pinion comes out.
Not always. If the gear teeth are not pitted or chipped, you can reinstall the same set with new bearings. Bad bearing noise that was ignored for a long time often damages the gears too, so inspect them before deciding.
Yukon's setup chart lists 15-25 in-lb of pinion preload for the 2015-up 8.8 Super with new bearings and 8-12 in-lb when reusing bearings. Always follow the gear manufacturer's sheet if it gives a different number.
Use the grade on your axle tag or owner's manual. If the axle has a clutch-type limited slip, add friction modifier unless the oil already includes it.
