I am going to try to replace my pinion seal this weekend and was wondering how hard it is. Do I need any special tools? Any tricks of the trade I should know? The guy also gave me a replacement crush sleeve. Can I replace that by just removing the yoke??? Thanks.

 

Not too hard. Count the threads on the pinion, and mark the pinion and pinion nut. You can't replace the crush collar without removing the differential. IOW, a lot of extra unnecessary work for a pinion seal R&R.

Ryan

 

The chilton says to take off the tires and brakes??? Any of that true?? Thanks.

 

Man, I learned the hard knock way ($) that if you don't have the press, you will have problem with the crush sleeve.

 

I did my crush sleeve with a huge breaker bar and a monkey wrench. Yeah, it is a lot of xtra work to do the crush sleeve, cuz the whole rearend has to come apart to get the pinion out. Have fun.
And yes, to do the crush sleeve the tires, axles, c-clips, carrier, and pinion all have to come out.

Benji

 

Before you take off the pinion nut mark it and the pinion (in a way that the mark does not get rubbed off!). Remove the nut and then the yoke (a puller or a few light taps with a hammer should take it off). Then remove old seal and install new one. I always put a light coat of RTV on the outside of the seal (the surface that contacts the diff. housing). I've seen a few leak here. Re-install the yoke and then the nut. Run down the nut until it starts getting tight. Tighten it down until the two marks come together and then I usually go just a touch tighter (about 1/16"). Oh yeah, DO NOT FORGET TO PUT LOCKTIGHT ON THE PINION NUT!
Hope this helps.