Differential Advice needed
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 346
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From: Raleigh, NC
Differential Advice needed
Been away from the forum seemingly forever, and am just getting back to my '60 F-100 longbed with a 223 cu3.
I've had the guts of my differntial out, gave the inside of the housing a good cleaning, and re-installed it. Now I find there is a leak in the front and have bought the seal to fix it.
My question is - how do I get the pinion out to replace the seal?
My local auto shop guru's say that I must first mark the threads to get it back to the right spot during installation. The nut is on exceedingly tight they tell me and I may have to leverage the wrench out from under the truck. (I have no air tools). Does this sound about right?
Thanks.
I've had the guts of my differntial out, gave the inside of the housing a good cleaning, and re-installed it. Now I find there is a leak in the front and have bought the seal to fix it.
My question is - how do I get the pinion out to replace the seal?
My local auto shop guru's say that I must first mark the threads to get it back to the right spot during installation. The nut is on exceedingly tight they tell me and I may have to leverage the wrench out from under the truck. (I have no air tools). Does this sound about right?
Thanks.
Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Placerville,CA
StarFox,
I went through the same thing not too long ago with a 1960 9” F100 rear-end. If it is the pinion seal you are referring to, here’s what I was advised to do and did, it was very successful. You can replace it with the carrier installed or removed. I removed pinion yoke nut, it wasn’t too bad, a half inch drive and a little WD40, removed the yoke, it came off with a light tap, carefully pried out the seal, installed a new one, tapping it in lightly with a small hammer, and oiled the yoke and reinstalled it. The only thing you have to watch is the torque you tighten the pinion nut to, I would have to look it up, but there is a spacer (crush collar) on the pinion shaft that you don’t want to over tighten.
If you can borrow or buy a half inch drive electric impact (around 30 to 50 $), they work very well also for removal, but watch it on installation, it can over torque it quickly.
Hope this is useful.
Larry
I went through the same thing not too long ago with a 1960 9” F100 rear-end. If it is the pinion seal you are referring to, here’s what I was advised to do and did, it was very successful. You can replace it with the carrier installed or removed. I removed pinion yoke nut, it wasn’t too bad, a half inch drive and a little WD40, removed the yoke, it came off with a light tap, carefully pried out the seal, installed a new one, tapping it in lightly with a small hammer, and oiled the yoke and reinstalled it. The only thing you have to watch is the torque you tighten the pinion nut to, I would have to look it up, but there is a spacer (crush collar) on the pinion shaft that you don’t want to over tighten.
If you can borrow or buy a half inch drive electric impact (around 30 to 50 $), they work very well also for removal, but watch it on installation, it can over torque it quickly.
Hope this is useful.
Larry
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,283
Likes: 1,046
From: NM
The pinion nut needs to be torqued to around 200 ft-lbs. (I don't have the exact spec handy). It crushes (literally) a metal spacer tube as Larry says, and it is importatnt to get this just right as it sets pinion bearing pre-load. That has to be right or the bearings can be damaged. Tightening to a mark would not be too reliable, but it's better than nothing. You don't have a lot to lose; if it gets hosed, you have to repeat the process and also pull the outer pinion bearing, replace the crush tube, and then re-install fresh.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,682
Likes: 12
From: Saskatoon SK Canada
Marking the nut and reinstalling to that mark is a proven method of replacing a pinion seal. As long as you don't have any worn out bearings then you will be fine. I was taught this at automotive school.
If you do plan on replacing the crush sleeve then the whole differential has to be disassembled. To get a proper pinion preload requires the ring gear to be removed. Also that 200 ft-lb spec is just for the yoke and not the crush sleeve. It takes about 300-400 ft-lbs to properly crush it. There is no easy way of doing this without a torque multiplier. This job is also best accomplished on a hoist and with a good knowledge of differentials. I did do my Dad's 91 F-250 Sterling 10.25 while on the ground but it required removing the box and rear gas tank.
If you do plan on replacing the crush sleeve then the whole differential has to be disassembled. To get a proper pinion preload requires the ring gear to be removed. Also that 200 ft-lb spec is just for the yoke and not the crush sleeve. It takes about 300-400 ft-lbs to properly crush it. There is no easy way of doing this without a torque multiplier. This job is also best accomplished on a hoist and with a good knowledge of differentials. I did do my Dad's 91 F-250 Sterling 10.25 while on the ground but it required removing the box and rear gas tank.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 929
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From: S.C.
Nathan, You mentioned "auto school" so you just became an expert!
I have a leaky seal too, so youre saying if you just want to replace the seal only, you can do it by marking nut on yoke, just replacing the pinion seal and NOT replacing the crush tube, tighten to mark (torqing to 200 ft./lb would be correct as well) and the inner bearing and crush tube will be fine...or at least as it was before dissasembly?
I have a leaky seal too, so youre saying if you just want to replace the seal only, you can do it by marking nut on yoke, just replacing the pinion seal and NOT replacing the crush tube, tighten to mark (torqing to 200 ft./lb would be correct as well) and the inner bearing and crush tube will be fine...or at least as it was before dissasembly?
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,682
Likes: 12
From: Saskatoon SK Canada
You just mark nut to pinion shaft, remove nut, yolk. Remove seal and put new one in. Reinstall yolk and tighten the nut until the mark lines up. You don't have to torque it at all. Retorqueing the pinion nut to spec will most likely change the bearing preload. I should have said the 200 ft-lbs is the minimum required torque for the crush sleeve. It normally says in the manual if proper preload is obtained before minimum torque then the bearings and crush sleeve must be replaced. Hope this clears it up.
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