How hard to change the pinion seal?

[77Impala]

I have a 5 lug GQ1 GU4 axle with the front seal leaking. No noises from the axle at the moment and topped off the fluid, needed about 8 ounces. Are these hard to change and what is involved if I decide to do so?

 

[ChrisAU]

Not hard, I did one in my 98 a couple months ago. Paint a line across the pinion nut and yoke and count the threads visible past the pinion nut. Then take it all apart and pull the seal and replace. When putting it back together tighten the pinion nut to EXACTLY where it was (line your marks back up, be sure to mark which side is up on the nut and yoke, and same number of threads sticking out of the nut) and then just a hair more. If you use a paint pen to do it your line should still be touching, just not perfectly lined up. I mean 1/64th of an inch or so tighter. That 98 is now my buddies DD and he has had 0 problems with it.

Also, be sure you can break the fill plug free on the diff before taking it apart. This is a good time to replace the gasket and fluid in the diff as well.

 

[77Impala]

Did you do this with the wheels on the ground?

 

[ChrisAU]

Did you do this with the wheels on the ground?

Yes I did, and I recommend doing it with them on the ground so that the pinion doesn't turn during tear down or while you have it apart.

 

[77Impala]

Great, thanks a bunch!

 

[ChrisAU]

One more weird tip - don't clean the threads of the pinion or the nut. You want it to go back in with the same torque load it had when you took it off.

Also, grab a seal puller for $10. Like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-5741-S...1410750066&sr=8-1&keywords=tekton+seal+puller

Will make it super easy to pull the seal out in a couple seconds and minimize the risk of foreign material entry.

 

[77Impala]

I have not got to change this yet but it quit leaking, the housing is bone dry. Both the pinion seal and the transmission are no longer loosing fluid. I checked last weekend and both are full.

First vehicle I have bought that had sat that started out loosing some fluids and then quit. I have put 2K miles since September.