Need to replace rear pinion grease seal

[garyash]

I've been working underneath the '63 Standard Wagonaire, time to address the leaking pinion grease seal on the Dana 27 axle. The car is up on jack stands, wheels off, so no good way to block the axle from turning. The shop manual shows two tools being used - one is a long bar [J-6371, companion flange holding tool] that is used to hold the U-joint flange stationary while the nut is loosened (was tightened to 150 ft-lbs). Then, the second tool, the U-joint flange puller J-2576, is placed over the bar to pull the flange off the pinion shaft.

While I've accumulated way too many tools over the years, these two are not in the garage. Any suggestions on how to deal with the axle seal?

[img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/gary_ash_m5_sm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.
'48 M5
'65 Wagonaire Commander
'63 Wagonaire Standard
web site at http://www.studegarage.com

[Transtar60]

Impact wrench on the nut and then use a big gear puller to pull the flange.

Course there may be modern tools out there to do the job since similiar items are used to this day on Dana's in Jeeps etc.

5E13
7E7
8E7
8E12
8E28
4E2
59 Lark
etc

[John Kirchhoff]

I have the same job awaiting me. I had the rear of the car up on wheel ramps but the clearance was inadequate to the job of loosening the nut. I guess I'll go looking for a deep ditch to straddle! To hold the yoke, I just hooked a big pipe wrench over one side it. I didn't have any problem holding it, just couldn't get enough leverage on my wrench. When I worked on one that was not under the car, the yoke came off very easily with a two jawed gear puller. I'm not saying they all come off easy, but it surprised me after setting out in the weather for something like 18 years.

[N8N]

Impact wrench works fine, just hold the flange with your hand (but with a shop rag of course, unless your hands are made of tougher stuff than mine) or set the parking brake.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[rusty nut garage]

welding machine, piece of 2" pipe, a scrap piece of 3/8 with a larg hole for your impact wrench.make the flat piece large enougth for seveal different bolt pattern yokes. Dang I'm beginning to sound like Gordon from the great white north.
Russ

quote:Originally posted by N8N

Impact wrench works fine, just hold the flange with your hand (but with a shop rag of course, unless your hands are made of tougher stuff than mine) or set the parking brake.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Russ Shop Foreman "Rusty Nut Garage"
57 SH (project)
60 Lark VIII 2dr sd (driver)

[garyash]

All the great advice helped. Of course, it was standard project chaos:
1. Remove U-joint bolts but can't get out driveshaft until I jack the axle back up enough to let the front yoke get some motion.
2. Determine 1-1/8" socket is needed for companion flange nut, drive all around county for an hour searching for one. Lowe's no; Sears no; Autozone yes, but chrome not black impact-took it anyway.
3. Find grandfather's giant adjustable monkey wrench from 1920's to hold companion flange, nut unzips in 2 seconds with impact wrench, no damage to socket.
4. Mark flange and pinion shaft with punch for alignment.
5. Small, 2-jaw gear puller actually removes flange in a few seconds!
6. 43-year old tarry oil oozes out of axle when flange is pulled, no drip pan at hand.
7. Find drip pan and seal puller. Yank seal out. Oil flows into pan [should have drained axle first, dummy!].
8. Discover seal flew 3-4 feet, then rolled around on garage floor leaving a long trail of tar. [:0] Spend 20 minutes cleaning up.
9. Find large plastic pipe fitting to use as seal driver, install new seal OK.
10. Reinstall companion flange twice after getting splines misaligned once. At least I remembered to mark it before removing it.
11. Put on washer and nut, set torque wrench to 150 ft-lb, block motion of flange with old wrench against floor.
12. Remember shoulder injury and torn elbow tendon from previous cylinder head wrenching [xx(], lie on floor of garage while gripping rear spring with both arms, use both feet to push on torque wrench until very satisfying click is heard. [Back will hurt later.]
13. [u]Now</u> he drains the axle as quarts of tarry oil pour into pan. Ugh!
14. Degrease tools, garage floor, and me.
15.

Thanks for the assistance, guys!

Gary Ash
Dartmouth, MA
and the 1963 Standard Wagonaire OHV6, 3-speed

https://www.studegarage.com

[DEEPNHOCK]

Gary,
Remember to pack the backside of the seal with grease before you install it.
Most replacement seals have a garter spring to help maintain the seal lip contact to the pinion shaft. This spring can dislodge and come loose during the act of installing the seal (if left dry). Packing the backside cavity with grease will help hold the spring in it's groove.
Hope the info helps.
Jeff[8D]



DEEPNHOCK at Gmail.com
Brooklet, Georgia
'37 Coupe Express (never ending project)
'37 Coupe Express Trailer (project)
'61 Hawk (project)
http://community.webshots.com/user/deepnhock

[John Kirchhoff]

Only 15 steps???? Bragger! It would have been at least 30 for me. I just hate people who brag about how fast and easy things went!

[garyash]

Ah, Jeff, that would have been really helpful BEFORE I replaced the seal, LOL. If it leaks, at least it shouldn't take so long the second time.

Gary Ash