axel seals

[leenigen]

Whos rplaced an axel seal and a pinion seal? They are cheap and it seams pretty easy (per repair manual) but is it really? Do I need special tools to remove them?

[leenigen]

Whos rplaced an axel seal and a pinion seal? They are cheap and it seams pretty easy (per repair manual) but is it really? Do I need special tools to remove them?

[Beastmaster]

By "axle seal" I'm to assume it's the output shaft seal.

If you are talking about that - that is really easy to remove....(you need a seal puller), and replace (you need a seal installer, or barring that, take a 3/4" shackle and use that as a seal installer). I've done a few with the shackle as the seal installer.

For the pinion - you'll need a seal puller, and you need at least something to help keep the seal in place as you drive it in. I've only done one of those - with the diff out when I did my Detroit build up.

-Steve

It is really easy for the pinion

[leenigen]

Thanks, It seems easy enough and I don't think I'll have any problems. I guess I was just looking for a word of warning if it was too difficult.

I'm planning on leaving the dif in the truck while replacing the seals. Will that make things way more difficult?

[Beastmaster]

No. I had my diff out because I was pulling the Torsen out.

Leaving it in actually makes it easier.

[leenigen]

Well I finally got around to changing those seals. The pinion seal went easy enough. I had trouble getting it out at first but a little heat did the trick. The output shaft seal was a pain though. The mounting bracket for the diff. partially covers the seal so I had to remove the diff. After getting that out I had a heck of a time getting the seal out. Someone had used an adheasive one the old seal so I had to use more heat than I was comfortable with. Once I got it out getting the new one in was pretty difficult as well. I bent the first one a bit so decided not to use that. The second one I beveled a bit and it slid right in. After that assembly was a piee of cake. The whole job took about 10 hours - considerably slower than it should have been and I still have one rear output saft seal to replace

[NoMoGMPG]

The seal will come out easier and cleaner without heat if you use the side yoke and smack it with a sledge hammer to pull the stub axle /side bearing/side seal out as an assembly.

Dave