Pinion Seal Removal and Replacement - anyone done it themselves?

[DMan]

Hello,

Has anyone performed a pinion seal replacement procedure themselves? Can you describe how you did it?

Did you follow the recommended GM service manual procedure? I seem to recall the service manual is pretty picky about getting the right bearing preload. Is it that important?

How hard is it to get the yoke off the carrier? RedRegal says and impact gun will work. Will the yoke just slide off, or do you need a special puller?

Does the seal come out with a screwdriver or chisel?

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[novaderrik]

i don't know what the "proper" method is, but ive done a few.
use an impact to get the bignut off, and the yoke should come off with a little persuasion. the seal is just like a rear seal on a trans- use a chisel or seal puller to pop the old one off and use a hammer with a block of wood or chunk of pipe to drive the new seal in.
put the yoke back on, and tighten that sucker down tight- it takes a LOT of torque to really affect anything. but i don't think i'd use an impact to tighten it down- the gears might not like that. just a breaker bar and a pipe. it may be a bit redneck, but i've never used a torque wrench and never blown a rear end after doing it.

 

[gnsrule]

The trick here is to not recrush the crush coller any more. Torque the nut down to 60 ft lbs and you sould be good to go. 60 sould be enuff to overcome the locking of the nut but not enuff to crush the coller any more.

Good Luck

 

[DMan]

Thanks Nova - how do you keep the yoke from turning as you tighten it down?

 

[GNeric]

I use my little 3/8" impact and carefully put the nut back where it was and check it from there. I have done enough (26 years worth) that it is pretty easy to tell when you have gone a little tighter. Mark the nut before you take it off. Check with your hand how the turning of the yoke feels before you take it apart. Easier when you take the tires off so you don't have the rotating weight making the pinion turn for you. If you don't have an Inch/Pound beam style torque wrench, best way is to check and feel where you need it to go as you tighten the nut back down. Once that collar is crushed, it is easy to keep crushing it. Locktight on the threads as you go back together and silicone under the washer so as not to "wick out" any gear oil.

 

[charlief1]

Before removing the nut count the threads sticking out and take a sharp chisel and mark the threads and the nut so they're in allignment. Mark the yoke as well so it goes back in the exact place. Once nut is off take a big hammer and a punch to remove it. When you go back together start the nut and as you tighten it don't go past the marks so you don't overtighten it. Use a torque wrench to varify torque and you should be good. I do it for my living.

 

[DMan]

Thanks to all who replied! With these tips, this task will be easy to pull off. Time to go buy an oil seal.

 

[charlief1]

Thanks to all who replied! With these tips, this task will be easy to pull off. Time to go buy an oil seal.

Get a sleave while you're at it so you won't have a reoccurance. Cheap insurance for your car.