Rear Pinion Seal

[TJ805]

Is this gap acceptable? I used moderate force, but didn't want to damage the thing. Unfortunately I didn't compare it's depth to the one I removed. How hard should I have to hit this momma?
All help is appreciated...

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[5akman]

It should go deeper. I just did mine and screwed up the first one. Found out the next morning when a lot of my expensive synthetic fluid was all over the drive way. Pulled it out and then took a 2x4, drilled a large hole in it so it would fit over the splined part of the pinion shaft and pounded away. Easy then to keep it straight as it goes in. Wasn't my brain storm but I'm thankful someone posted that trick. Good luck with yours.

 

[rpcraft]

In case you do not have aa tool or socket big enough to drive it on further take a piece of 2 x 4, drill a hole in it large enough to go over the pinion, and then hammer it around the edges. Put the old pinion nut on in case you smack the pinion, that way you won't goof up the threads. Use a good heavy hammer and drive it until it is sealed. If you did not put a very light smear of on the mating surface of the seal, where it goes against the metal of the diff, you might get some leaks from deformation but more than likely you will be OK, just try and drive it on evenly until that seal is bottomed out on there.

 

[TJ805]

Any advice on the nut torque? When I removed it, it was finger tight. I did mark it and all that, but it spun off so easily that I can't respect the marks. The truck is on the ground and I have no plans to jack it up and remove the axles. I'll probably just go a bit past hand tight and thread lock it. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[rpcraft]

Typically you are supposed to have it with a new crush sleeve and tighten it down until you get a measurable value of drag using a beam torque wrench. I think about 15 - 25 lb ft of rotational drag on the pinion nut when you get it to a certain point is the value. There is no measured torque on tightening the nut itself other than drag.

Assuming you only replaced the seal only and not bearings, the spacer stack, or crush sleeves, I have seen some guys recommend that it takes around 100 lb ft to set it back on a pre-crushed sleeve with loctite on the nut and walking away and calling it done.

I'm kind of in the same boat of just replacing the seal to keep the fluid in while I test and setup my 14 bolt stuff so I will probably go that route as well. If you run into issues locking the axle down instead of going and buying a tool to hold it you can drop it and put the tires on the ground (with the park brake on) but if you plan on doing work more than once having the tool is the easiest way to set it home.

 

[Blue Ox]

Typically you are supposed to have it with a new crush sleeve and tighten it down until you get a measurable value of drag using a beam torque wrench. I think about 15 - 25 lb ft of rotational drag on the pinion nut when you get it to a certain point is the value. There is no measured torque on tightening the nut itself other than drag.

INCH pounds Mr. rpcraft. INCH pounds. Not foot pounds. Yikes. 10-15 lb/in for used bearings.

Assuming you only replaced the seal only and not bearings, the spacer stack, or crush sleeves, I have seen some guys recommend that it takes around 100 lb ft to set it back on a pre-crushed sleeve with loctite on the nut and walking away and calling it done.

That may work. It takes a lot of force to crush the sleeve. But probably not anywhere near that amount of torque just to keep the yoke on. Never done it myself though, so I disavow all responsibility.

 

[TJ805]

Typically you are supposed to have it with a new crush sleeve and tighten it down until you get a measurable value of drag using a beam torque wrench. I think about 15 - 25 lb ft of rotational drag on the pinion nut when you get it to a certain point is the value. There is no measured torque on tightening the nut itself other than drag.

Assuming you only replaced the seal only and not bearings, the spacer stack, or crush sleeves, I have seen some guys recommend that it takes around 100 lb ft to set it back on a pre-crushed sleeve with loctite on the nut and walking away and calling it done.

I'm kind of in the same boat of just replacing the seal to keep the fluid in while I test and setup my 14 bolt stuff so I will probably go that route as well. If you run into issues locking the axle down instead of going and buying a tool to hold it you can drop it and put the tires on the ground (with the park brake on) but if you plan on doing work more than once having the tool is the easiest way to set it home.

So, as I said the nut was very loose when I got to it. I have it aligned with the original position and there is a very slight slack when I pull/push the yoke. Is this acceptable or is it problematic. If it's normal, I will leave it be. If not I'll go that one extra revolution and call it a day. I'm not looking for perfection, just trying to get it as close as it can be under the circumstances.
-Thanks, TJ

 

[TJ805]

So, as I said the nut was very loose when I got to it. I have it aligned with the original position and there is a very slight slack when I pull/push the yoke. Is this acceptable or is it problematic. If it's normal, I will leave it be. If not I'll go that one extra revolution and call it a day. I'm not looking for perfection, just trying to get it as close as it can be under the circumstances.
-Thanks, TJ

 

[Blue Ox]

Not normal. There's supposed to be preload, not play.

 

[rpcraft]

INCH pounds Mr. rpcraft. INCH pounds. Not foot pounds. Yikes. 10-15 lb/in for used bearings.



That may work. It takes a lot of force to crush the sleeve. But probably not anywhere near that amount of torque just to keep the yoke on. Never done it myself though, so I disavow all responsibility.

....


Ah yes, very sorry. Rotation force (also known as drag) would be inch pounds! Yes, very sorry about that. Accidentally copied and pasted one thing incorrectly. If tightening by torque on the nut though you would want to be using ft pounds to get it to the point where you can measure for drag in 'Inch pounds". I read somewhere that it takes around 200 ft lb to crush a new sleeve to get it to the point where you can measure drag properly and on bigger axles, like a 14 bolt, it will crush down properly at a given 350 foot pound of torque, and then you measure drag, but most guys just torque it and don't bother to measure afterwards.

 

[TJ805]

Not normal. There's supposed to be preload, not play.

Thanks. I'm reinstalling the yoke. Preload is set already and checking drag with the truck on the ground is not possible.

 

[TJ805]

....


Ah yes, very sorry. Rotation force (also known as drag) would be inch pounds! Yes, very sorry about that. Accidentally copied and pasted one thing incorrectly. If tightening by torque on the nut though you would want to be using ft pounds to get it to the point where you can measure for drag in 'Inch pounds". I read somewhere that it takes around 200 ft lb to crush a new sleeve to get it to the point where you can measure drag properly and on bigger axles, like a 14 bolt, it will crush down properly at a given 350 foot pound of torque, and then you measure drag, but most guys just torque it and don't bother to measure afterwards.

The truck is in the ground. Setting drag is not a possibility. I marked it prior to disassembly, but it just seems loose. I'm looking for a backyard temporary solution. With the marks aligned I have slight play in and out, but one more revolution seems like too much. Would you go too tight or too loose? Or, maybe I should disregard the marks and just snug it up until theres no slack at all...

 

[rpcraft]

I would jack the back end up, take the tires off, and measure with just the axles if there was no other option. In that regard go for the greatest rating on the drag range.

 

[TJ805]

I would jack the back end up, take the tires off, and measure with just the axles if there was no other option. In that regard go for the greatest rating on the drag range.

Unfortunately it's parked on a hill. Options are too tight or too loose. I'm talking about a lesser of two evils temp job...