Rear Axle: pinion yoke seal still leaks!

[jostanton1]

On my 64 GT, I just went through the trouble to change the seal (at the front of the rear axle) where it was leaking. After installing the new seal, it is still leaking! I'm baffled, as the original seal did it's job for 55 years and the new one didn't last 24 hours. What could I have done wrong as it is a straight forward as replacing a transmission front or rear seal.

[jrlemke]

Is the pinion yoke scored?-Jim

[studegary]

Is the pinion yoke scored?-Jim

I am also thinking that or the yoke has enough play in it that the seal can not "keep up". There may be a reason, other than seal wear, that the original seal started to leak.

[StudeRich]

As Gary said, the Pinion Bearing COULD be badly worn causing the Leak.
Also with the Newer design grease seal not resembling the Original, it is easy to get it backwards.

And they now come with a "sealer" coating on the outside edge to "better" seal, but have no Gasket to put behind them as original.

[JoeHall]

How far have you driven it with the new seal? Did you use 240-320 sandpaper to break the glaze on the yoke's seal surface? Lay the paper flat in your hand and grip the yoke so the paper wraps nearly all the way around the shaft; rotate the yoke round and round till the surface looks like a brand new yoke, right off the shelf. The renewed surface helps scrub the new seal in, but it needs to be driven a few miles to do so.

[Jeffry Cassel]

Ditto every thing they said. If the bearing is bad the seal will leak. It is real easy to damage a seal when installing it. Most people do not have seal installers and end up using hammers and drifts which can distort the seal. In a pinch you can use a short piece of iron pipe which you can get for $3-4 at a hardware store. Most of you are aware that it isn't exactly unususal to find a defective replacement part (I seem to be running about 50/50)

[bezhawk]

Sometimes oil can also seep between the yoke and pinion splines. I usually put a sealer on them.

[jostanton1]

Thank-you everyone for the tips. I'm going to pull, and do it again. I did not know about the gasket coating on the new seals.

[Jeffry Cassel]

They do have a sealer on them but I also put a thin layer of Permatex on outside of seal

[Dan Timberlake]

Hi jostanton1,

"Treatment Without Diagnosis Is Malpractice. "

I try to pay careful attention at each step of the disassembly process when repairing stuff. Plus Taking pictures, making notes etc,

First to augment my memory to put it back together, but also to try to assess what REALLY was wrong.

"On the way in" You may be able to identify what is leaking, and where.
Examples -
Any detectable pinion radial play, splines, seal OD, seal ID and yoke counterfaces, yoke grooving wear after polishing, etc.

[TWChamp]

I always coat new seals with grease before installing them, just to make sure the seal lips are well lubed.

[markwhawk]

I used a seal with an outside flange from Rockridge4wd for the same problem I think it sits in a different spot on the yoke. Found them on ebay

[Jeffry Cassel]

I know this guy--not sayin' who---but he once put a seal in backwards. But that was a long time ago , but everytime I install a seal I remember what I, I mean he, did and haven't had it happen again. It could be really easy to do on some of the new replacement seals.

[DEEPNHOCK]

(opinion)
Just changing a leaking seal without checking the bearings is like playing Russian roulette.
You might get away with it, but you might not.
There are a thousand 4wd shops around the country that repair, rebuild, service, and swap Dana 44's.
They could have you in and out in a couple of hours, and you'd have a warranty.

[tsenecal]

Jeffry, glad to hear that HE learned his lesson. Lol