Pinion seal

[Travis]

As was pointed out by you guys in a proir thread, my front pinion seal is leaking. I don't have the proper tools but know a guy who does. We watched a video on YouTube & it doesn't look all that hard. Should we tackle this together or just take it to a shop? I would expect to pay around $500 for a job like this, or is that too much? I really don't know. I want this fixed ASAP, but would rather save some coin by doing it myself. Also, I seen that I should probably change the fluids too. What do you all recommend for cleaning the drum out, and fluid to put back in? Thanks for reading guys, I always alpreciate your replies.

 

[Chris]

I've done dozens of pinions seals before, it's a very easy job if you have the tools.

If you took it to a shop, I honestly can't imagine they'd charge you more than 2 hours worth of labor, so probably not more than $200 plus the cost of parts. I could easily do it it under an hour, and I suspect most shops could as well, I'm just saying 2 hours to be on the safe side.

If you do it yourself by following a tutorial video, I think you'd be able to do it pretty well. It's not anything super complicated by any means. As for the fluid, any GL-5 gear oil is fine. As for viscosity, it won't matter too much, but a 75W-90 or 80W-90 will be just fine.

You don't need to clean inside the diff out. You'll just need to clean the area where the new seal goes to make sure the surface isn't contaminated with anything. All you need for this is some clean shop rags and a wire brush.

This thread is worth reading as well:
How to change the pinion seal on your Jeep Wrangler TJ

 

[UPJOHN]

DIY should cost less than 20 bucks.

 

[Travis]

I've done dozens of pinions seals before, it's a very easy job if you have the tools.

If you took it to a shop, I honestly can't imagine they'd charge you more than 2 hours worth of labor, so probably not more than $200 plus the cost of parts. I could easily do it it under an hour, and I suspect most shops could as well, I'm just saying 2 hours to be on the safe side.

If you do it yourself by following a tutorial video, I think you'd be able to do it pretty well. It's not anything super complicated by any means. As for the fluid, any GL-5 gear oil is fine. As for viscosity, it won't matter too much, but a 75W-90 or 80W-90 will be just fine.

You don't need to clean inside the diff out. You'll just need to clean the area where the new seal goes to make sure the surface isn't contaminated with anything. All you need for this is some clean shop rags and a wire brush.

This thread is worth reading as well:
How to change the pinion seal on your Jeep Wrangler TJ

Well damn, I should have searched before asking. I will follow the write up, like I did with the oil change. I'm sure with the thread as my guide I should be able to do this. Another thing, is this something that requires immediate attention? Like withing the next couple weeks? Am I doing damage driving around with it leaking? Sorry for all the questions lol.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

No problem driving with a leaky pinion seal so long as you keep the GL 5 gear lube level up with periodic checks.

 

[Chris]

Like Jerry said, no immediate attention required (unless it's just spitting it out which would be leaving huge puddles wherever you park).

I've driven with leaky pinion seals for 10k plus miles I would guess, and never had an issue. Just check the fluid every few weeks and top it off if necessary.

Still, replacing it is so easy that it seems like more effort to constantly check it and top it off, than to simply replace it.

 

[Travis]

Ok, so another silly one, where do I check that fluid level?

 

[Chris]

Remove the plug on the diff cover, fill it up and it should pour out a little, that's when it is full. If you just want to check it put your finger in the hole to see how high it is.

 

[Travis]

I'll get under there and top it off, I'm sure its low. It has been leaking for quite some time.

 

[Nick Honeycutt]

I recently did my rear pinion seal after watching some YouTube videos... once I did the front and back of the diff and got everything back together and yes I fill the sucker up lol.. I all of a sudden got a howling noise when letting off the accelerator... also put everything back where I got it even with counting the threads for the pinion nut.. next morning I tightened the pinion nut half a turn.. that seemed to take care of it a little bit but not completely.. last night I tightened the nut up to specs at 175... seemed to take care of any noise that was there before.. anyone else done one of these and have any input.. much appreciated for this headache of a time


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[Rob80x]

I recently did my rear pinion seal after watching some YouTube videos... once I did the front and back of the diff and got everything back together and yes I fill the sucker up lol.. I all of a sudden got a howling noise when letting off the accelerator... also put everything back where I got it even with counting the threads for the pinion nut.. next morning I tightened the pinion nut half a turn.. that seemed to take care of it a little bit but not completely.. last night I tightened the nut up to specs at 175... seemed to take care of any noise that was there before.. anyone else done one of these and have any input.. much appreciated for this headache of a time


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You just didn't have enough bearing preload. That's why it went away after tightening it up more.

 

[Nick Honeycutt]

You just didn't have enough bearing preload. That's why it went away after tightening it up more.

So now that it went away it should stay ok with putting it to the correct torque? I'm just like still freaking out that the sound could come back... was I supposed to replace like a crush washer or something while I had it all out?


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[RaymondT]

A good dial-type inch-pound torque wrench is really the only correct way to do it. I've been thinking about getting one of these torque wrenches myself but damn, they are expensive. I'm thinking one that goes up to 200 inch-lbs but I have to do some more research.

 

[Nick Honeycutt]

But that nut washer should hold its place where I put it at the 175 even though I didn't change the crush washer correct?


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[Jerry Bransford]

But that nut washer should hold its place where I put it at the 175 even though I didn't change the crush washer correct?

Remember to use blue Loctite on the threads and it will stay put. Also, FYI, the crush sleeve has a certain amount of elasticity once crushed so the exact ft-lbs. used after replacing the pinion seal is not as critical as some claim. Some whack nuts even go so far as saying a new crush sleeve should be installed and crushed if that nut is removed. They're nutso. A new pinion nut is never a bad idea.

 

[RaymondT]

Remember to use blue Loctite on the threads and it will stay put. Also, FYI, the crush sleeve has a certain amount of elasticity once crushed so the exact ft-lbs. used after replacing the pinion seal is not as critical as some claim. Some whack nuts even go so far as saying a new crush sleeve should be installed and crushed if that nut is removed. They're nutso. A new pinion nut is never a bad idea.

I had to edit my post above. According to the factory manual, a new crush sleeve is only necessary if you exceed the maximum torque rating for the nut while setting up the preload. And of course, a new pinion nut should be used. The inch-lb torque wrench is needed to do it the proper way but 175 lbs should get you pretty close on the Dana 30.

The factory method to do it involves a lot of work (removing rotors, calipers), measuring the rotational torque load before you remove anything, Re & re seal-yoke-nut, torqueing the pinion nut to your starting point (160ft lbs), and incrementally tightening the pinion nut in 5ft lb steps until you get to your initial rotation reading + 5 in lbs. If you can't get to the desired rotational reading by the time you hit 260ft lbs on the pinion nut, then it's new crush-sleeve time.

Still sounds like a sh*tload of work for a dripping seal. Great when they're billable hours at the shop.

 

[Nick Honeycutt]

Well it's been a week since we set the pinion nut to 175 and no noise at all so hopefully that did the trick..


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[Chris]

Sounds like that did the trick!

 

[Bigbill]

Put a tad of silicone under the washer so oil can seep out of the splines. Being a ex jeep mechanic the factory rule is use a new nut.

Is it leaking on the floor? Or is it just running seepage as my old head mechanic would say. Is the oil low? Then it's leaking. If the oil is full and no spot on the ground then it's a little seepage. I leave it alone if it's not leaking on the floor.

If you change the seal and there's a groove in the yoke from sand or dirt getting in there I don't push the new seal all the way in. I leave it a tad out so it runs in a new spot.

 

[AKDAVE]

Get a flat head screw driver and pry the old one out get a flat small piece of a 2[emoji808]️4 and beat the new seal in very slowly and very light after you do that got to your parts store and buy the actual diff cover gaskets for your dana 35 in the rear and the Dana 30 in the front. Take the diff covers off drain fluids get a few pieces of 100 grit sand paper and clean up the diff and the cover as much as possible. Now the fun part get you a spray bottle and some kerosene and spray out the doffs to get and debris and muck out of there let the kerosene dry put the gasket and covers back on and fill up with 90 weight gear oil which is recommended also do not let some stupid redneck talk about you into using rtv to seal your diff cover they are stupid and they make a gasket for a reason enjoy have a nice day and be careful in the woods


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