1956 Pinion Seal

[Guest imported_Packards1]

Does anyone out there have any experience in changing a pinion seal in a 1956? I am going to have to do mine and the manual doesn't give a lot of insight. Any tips or pitfalls to watch out for?

[WCraigH]

Is your 56 a Jr (Dana 44/45) or Sr (Dana 53)?

[Guest imported_PackardV8]

In general, the sealing lip of any seal rides on the OD of a shaft. In some cases there will be a groove worn in the shaft where the lip of the seal has ridden. After the seal is removed try to determine if there is such a groove worn (there may not be). If there is a groove then the new seal needs to have a lip that is somewhat extended or recessed from the original. If u r using NOS seal then there probably is no such offset. A modern replacement will probably have the offset and needs to be checked for.

[mrpushbutton]

I've done 'em. I'm due for a check-up at your bride's office, I'll bring my grubbies. If you have a real leather pinion seal, get a butter tub just larger than the seal OD and soak the seal in gear oil before installation.

[Guest imported_Packards1]

Sounds good. The car is a senior series 400.

[Guest Randy Berger]

Now THAT'S what I call a Packard Pal!

[WCraigH]

So, you already have the Dana 53 pinion seal? Where'd you get it? Maybe it'd be worth an entry in the 55-56 Xref if it's not from one of the "usual suspects" as a NOS or repackaged part. Dana 53 was also used in some 1957-70 Willys Jeep vehicles, so maybe there's a way to xref?

[Guest imported_Packards1]

The seal is an original Packard seal That I got somewhere a quarter century ago.

[mrpushbutton]

Packard V-8, yes, that is important to watch when changing seals. I know of one car where the owner turned down (very little removal of stock, just enough to get a common surface) the OD of the pinion yoke and made a very thin sleeve to shrink over the newly turned OD, restoring the integrity of the seal. I suppose a crankshaft shop could plasma weld up metal, too. I have learned to use my Mitutoyo dial indicator and gauge the distance from the top of the pinion yoke nut to the top of the threaded end of the differental input shaft--that determines your bearing pre-load. after changing out the seal, it's important to torque the retaining nut back to that distance, within a thou or so.

[Guest imported_PackardV8]

"I know of one car where the owner turned down (very little removal of stock, just enough to get a common surface) the OD of the pinion yoke and made a very thin sleeve to ..."

Shaft Saver Sleeves, "metalizing", etc is just fine and sometimes nesessary is certain applications. AND mite require removal of the shaft. ALL we want to do here is replace a seal. AGAIN, there are seals available with varied sealing lip depth to fall short of any groove (if it exists). Such seals are common in modern engine overhaul kits. I recently installed such a rear crankshaft seal in a 2.0 F 4 cylinder engine. The lip of the seal was about 3/32" closer to the outside face of the seal than the original seals lip. Otherwise the seal is identicle. Take the EZ way out. IT WORKS!

Since we are dealing with a GM style axle then that should mean ther are plenty of replacement seals and vendors available to supply such a seal. Not much changes in 50 years when you copy the all-seeing-eye of GM.

[mrpushbutton]

Brian-I have never replaced the pinion seal on a V-8 Packard. I have studied the shop manual--you are correct--that design does not require pre-loading, it's a fixed (shimed) length. V-8--I mentioned those (labor intensive) processes for "worst case scenario" situations, where there is only one seal available. I have never had to resort to that. I just replace the seal, and all of the gear oil stays inside the pig.

[mrpushbutton]

Brian-I replaced my '63 Chevy II pinion seal about four years ago, it was a crush sleeve type. it was not a leather seal, but a rubber type of material. I coated it with a film of gear oil before assembly. I mis-spoke (mis-typed) when I said "dial indicator". I meant to say "Dial caliper". I use the bore-depth stem out the bottom to gauge the distance from the end of the threaded shaft to the top of the nut.

[Guest imported_Packards1]

The pinion seal is done! Pretty straightforward but it would have been nice to have had it up on a hoist instead of on jackstands. It is kinda nice to use an item (pinion seal) on your car that you put away 25 years earlier just in case. It justifies my being a pacrat. Thanks for all the input. Mr. Pushbutton you can still come by anyway and get that 374 block.