Driveshaft wear and spline grease questions

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Das Hatt

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92 C1500 5.7L 700R4 3.08 8.5 inch rear end. Project vehicle, non-daily driver.

I had a leaking output shaft seal and also a leaking differential pinion seal so I pulled the driveshaft and this is what the slip joint looks like.

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I can run my finger nail across it and I don't feel that groove, but how bad is it really?

The next question is regarding the grease when reinstalling. The service manual calls for grease rated GM 6031-M for the splines. Can I use this same grease to coat the rubber part of the seal? Any problem using this Valvoline grease?

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Erik the Awful

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I wouldn't worry about which grease to use on the seal. It just needs something so that it doesn't start spinning on a dry seal.

Set the new seal a little shallower or a little deeper than the original seal so the seal lip isn't riding in that same groove.
 

Schurkey

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Not that it's important, but that's been my primary wheel-bearing and general-purpose grease for 20+ years. Got another tub coming from Amazon, should be here in a few days.

I'm in the habit of polishing the yokes with some 180-grit (or finer) emery cloth before reinstalling.

Going to change gear lube in that differential while changing the seal?
 
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