Rear axle pinion seal is an easy fix.

[MustangShane]

Ok so I needed a new pinion seal after my last wheeling trip. It seems that the extra load and maybe a few other things finished it off. I was kind of expecting the worst when I crawled under the Explorer. But to my surprize it was about a 45 min. job, including putting it on jack stands. I think I spent more time putting the gear lube in than actually fixing it. It made for a really nice morning.

 

[ruzztec]

Ok so I needed a new pinion seal after my last wheeling trip. It seems that the extra load and maybe a few other things finished it off. I was kind of expecting the worst when I crawled under the Explorer. But to my surprize it was about a 45 min. job, including putting it on jack stands. I think I spent more time putting the gear lube in than actually fixing it. It made for a really nice morning.

I see that you have a dynomax exhuast. Any way you can get me a soundfile of what it sounds like on your X

 

[MustangShane]

Ruzztec,
I would love to, but right now I dont even have sound on my computer. The best I can describe it is it sounds more like a V-8 and doesn't have a tinny sound some other mufflers have. Its a nice thick sound. I've had them on all my vehicles.

 

[mikeh]

Can you give us a quick rundown of how to fix the pinion seal? I took mine to the dealer because I wasn't sure how to do the job. Can you also tell us what tools you required? I thought a slide hammer would be required to pull the seal. Please describe in detail pulling and inserting the new seal properly as I've never done this.

Thanks,
Mikeh

 

[MustangShane]

Well Mike... I unbolted the drive shaft, using my half drive breaker bar and 12mm, 12 point socket to break them loose and my air ratchet to remove them the rest of the way. So pry that apart. Sometimes it requires tapping it with a hammer. Dont nail it hard, just tap it. So then you can move the driveshaft over to the opposite side that your on and set it down. Now the flange (the part the driveshaft was bolted to) has a nut in the center. This is where air tools come in handy. I was able to place my foot on the tire and I think it was a 13/16" 1/2 drive socket on the nut and zip it off. After that, the flange just pulled right off. Now the seal has a flange that overlaps the front of the "pig". I used a regular flat head screw driver and tapped it behind this flange working it around the outside of the seal. Then it was a matter of going side to side and prying it up. Dont worry I had heard the whole slide hammer thing too. When I put the new seal in I cleaned the mounting surface and added some black rtv to the outside of the seal and lightly tapped it in. Replace the flange in the approximate place you pulled it off. Probably good to mark that with a grease pen. Put the nut back on and tighten it down. Now I dont have the torque specs off hand but refer to a Chiltons manual. Reposition the driveshaft and bolt it back into place. Find the fill plug on the driver side of the axle and refill the axle till it starts pouring out of the fill hole and you're done. Viola!