Well guys, this morning I went to wash my truck, when I saw a puddle of fluid, so I decide to check it out, well the damn pinion seal is leaking, an 03 F250 SD SC with 2000 miles on it, so I call the service at the Ford dealer, yes they work on Saturdays unitl I knew what for, I explain them that I need to get this done now cause I'm planning to go to the track tomorrow and be pulling my trailer, this is their response: We would like to help you but Saturdays we do oil changes, and do not have a Ford Tech(Mechanic) so I said, "so, who the hell is doing that work, the guy on the corner? So he says he can't help me, Ok I'll be doing it my self but I'll be bringing you a receipt for the parts so you can pay me since this truck is under warranty and you do not want to do it, cause is saturday and don't have a mechanic, so what will happen if someone gets stranded and you get a vehicle that is under warranty and the person is out of state, he said depending how bad it is they will call the Ford mechanic, talking about bull ****.... Well I got the seal, but let me tell you, it took me 3 hours and 2 pullers to take that flange off the pinion, then putting it back it was hell too cause is very tight, so had to use my 3/4" ratchet so I could tight this sucker, man next time I leave the damn truck at the dealer, sorry for a long post had to rant.


Edgar

 

Edgar,this nothing against your skills,but when replacing the pinion seal,I hope you used a new crush sleve behind the flange. and set up the preload on the pinion bearings or you'll be repairing the rear diff in future.
More than likely the rear diff had a preload problem since new .
Also was the correct fluid used to refill the diff?
if it was a ls unit ,friction modifier should be added.

Rich

 

I didn' t empty the rear end but refill it with the correct modifier, my mustang uses it too, the crush sleeve is the same one, but before I took it out had the nut marked against the flange and once I reached the mark when the flage bottom out, I turn it a bit more, and checked the preload with out the tires, meaning it takes 10 inch pounds for the drag or to turn the rear end, done it like this for years, and has worked as long it does not drag to much, test drove it ran it for a while, even at 100 mph for any vibratios, so far so good.


Edgar

 

Good job !
keep an eye on it !Any kind of wetness there take it in .
Only problem is I wouln't push the issue with ford
or if it has a problem in the future they may turn you down on the warranty, because a non ford tech did the repair.

You more than likely did a better job than them anyway.

Rich

 

Rich, on my last truck I let Ford do it, it look like a 5 year old did the work, not 2 miles from the dealer the rear end leaked worse than it was before, and it kills me how proud the Service Manager says" Ford Technician", some of them should be ban of having a tool on their hands, LOL. I'll keep an eye on it, if it leaks it will go to the dealer I bought it, an hour from here, thanks:


Edgar

 

Good job. How did you hold the CF to tighten and loosen the nut?

 

Assuming you are asking the center flage, I had a puller wich the bolts went thru the flange holes, so I put washers on the back and on top of the puller, then I shorten the bolt that goes in the middle of the puller, then got my impact wrench and started it to pull, but some times had to hit the flange from the back so it can loose a bit then kept going with the impact wrench, now installing it was a pain in the a......, so with a big 3/4" rachet and the parking brakes locked until it could not go further in the floor. Then I raise the truck as high as I can get it, then with my foot and a pipe over the rachet slowly kept tighten it until it bottom out then once all the end play was gone then gave it a bit more and put everything back and refilled it. I feel like a 18 wheeler went over me, I'm going to be very soar tomorrow, LOL:


Edgar

 

Wow sounds like fun ...
Companion flange..