Changing rear axle pinion seal

Status
Not open for further replies.
Most 'rear ends' have a crush washer for pinion preload and orientation.
We should not disturb the setting without taking it apart and measuring things!
So what to do? We can't simply air gun the nut on [although many do!].
Mark [chisel or punch marks] the nut and shaft. Now you can tighten the nut exactly where it was before you take it off.

The seal can be popped out by any number of common sense ways.
Clean the yoke and maybe use mild Scotchbrite on the seal area.
Of course lube the new seal and maybe use RTV around the edge for insurance sealing.
 
Similar to mechtech2's advice (except for the impact part).

I usually used "Whiteout" correction fluid to draw a stripe running from the front of the nut to the front of the pinion.

The key is to get everything exactly as before.
 
Thanks guys! I have the Toyota FSM but wanted to get other's advice in too. The FSM explains changing the seal when doing a diff rebuild so I didn't know what to watch out for when just changing the seal.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Oh... you CAN use an impact to tighten it, for sure.
Just walk up slowly!
Honor your marks!


Defniately can use impact, remember most professional models have a dial that can drop the power down real low. Its best to finish off with a dial type torque wrench.
 
What good would a torque wrench do??
There is no torque spec.
It is not a nut/assembly that is torqued .

Mark the nut and shaft well and return it to the marks, like mechtech said.
 
My Ranger allowed the seal to be changed and the pinion nut re-torqued to a much lower value (60ft-lb, I believe) without disassembling the diff. As far as I could find, this was a factory service manual procedure.
 
I've heard of people dropping in a .010" shim (something to do with the crush washer) and resetting the pinion preload while they are in there.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom