straight8pontiac Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I am preparing to replace the pinion bearing oil seal at the differential on my 1953 Pontiac. Two questions come to mind:1. To remove the outer flange to pinion nut- is this a right or left hand thread?2. When putting the pinion nut back on- what torque value is given to this nut?Thanks in advance for any help.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 You really need to be careful here. Most old cars have a crush spacer to set pinion load. It is supposed to be replaced if you remove the pinion seal. You can replace the seal without replacing the crush spacer if you are careful to tighten the nut exactly the way it was before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen_Dyneto Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Assuming the differential gearset was quiet before, Rusty does mean exactly, as in EXACTLY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straight8pontiac Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Thank you gentlemen for your thoughts on my post. I have to become a little more familiar with this process before I proceed.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Every car needs to be tightened to a certain torque to crush the spacer. You need to stop just short of that. Tight enough to hold but not tight enough to change the adjustment.Or let a good mechanic who is experienced with differentials do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_in_nh Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Easy enough to do.Mark the pinion nut and the visible end of the pinion shaft via prick punch, white paint marker, etc.Slip on the socket and mark that inline with the previous marks.Slowly loosen nut with an impact gun, watching the number of turns needed to remove it.On a Ford rear axle from the fifties, it can be 10 and a half turns. Reverse procedure when installing.Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straight8pontiac Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 TomThe process seems easy enough to do with a careful, delicate touch to the work.Thanks- Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_in_nh Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Dave,I am sure you will do just fine.Too bad I did not live closer to you, I would help you for free.Anyways, if you have any trouble - just holler and all of us here will help.How bad is your seal leaking?Another tip - some seals are of the leather type - you may have to soak it in gear oil prior to installation.Just be aware that it will have a residual drip, after replacement, - not necessarily a leak.Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straight8pontiac Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 Mission accomplished! After marking the pinion shaft and nut as well as measuring the depth of the nut on the shaft with a caliper, removal and reassembly went well. Thanks for everyone's input- a good learning experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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