2500Ram

Evening everyone. As the title says I blew or have a leak from the front for the rear differential around the pinion and driveshaft. I found this as we setup camp. I put in more fluid 1/2 qt for the drive home, stopped half way and didn't loose much maybe a 1/4 cup. Drove the last 100 miles home and oil is everywhere, it got much worse and now drips.

So my question is this needs to be fixed asap. Is this just a pinion seal and I can replace just that with the oil slinger if there is one or do I need to take this to a shop and have new pinion bearings etc done.

I've done a Ford 8.8 ring and pinion so I have some knowledge but I've never done more than a fluid dump and fill on these dana 80's.

Thanks

BigIron70

Unless you have these tools and feel confident you can torque the pinion nut back to 440 ft lbs laying on your back then I would take it to a shop. I would also replace pinion nut and flange since it is most likely grooved where seal rides.



REMOVAL
Raise and support the vehicle.
Mark the universal joint, pinion yoke, and pinion shaft for installation reference.
Disconnect the propeller shaft from the pinion yoke. Secure the propeller shaft in an upright position to prevent damage to the rear universal joint.
Remove wheel and tire assemblies.
Remove brake calipers to prevent any drag. The drag may cause a false bearing preload torque measurement.
Rotate pinion yoke three or four times.
Record the amount of torque necessary to rotate the pinion gear with an inch pound dial-type torque wrench.
Hold the yoke with Holder 6719A and remove the pinion shaft nut and washer.
Remove yoke from the pinion with Remover C-452 (Yoke Removal).
Remove pinion shaft seal with suitable pry tool or slide-hammer mounted screw


INSTALLATION
Clean the seal contact surface in the housing bore.
Examine the splines on the pinion shaft for burrs or wear. Remove any burrs and clean the shaft.
Inspect pinion yoke for cracks, worn splines and worn seal contact surface. Replace yoke if necessary.
Apply a light coating of gear lubricant on the lip of pinion seal.
Install new pinion shaft seal with an appropriate Installer.
Position pinion yoke on the end of the shaft with the reference marks aligned.
Install the yoke with Installer D-191 and Yoke Holder 6719A (Pinion Yoke Installation).
Install the pinion yoke washer and nut.
Hold pinion yoke with Yoke Holder 6719A and tighten shaft nut to 597 N·m (440 ft. lbs.) (Tightening Pinion Shaft Nut). Rotate pinion shaft several revolutions to ensure the bearing rollers are seated.
Rotate pinion shaft using an inch pound torque wrench. Rotating resistance torque should be equal to the reading recorded, plus a small amount for the drag the new seal will have (Check Pinion Rotation Torque).
NOTE: The bearing rotating torque should be constant during a complete revolution of the pinion. If the rotating torque varies, this indicates a binding condition.

Install propeller shaft with the installation reference marks aligned.
Install the brake calipers.
Add gear lubricant to the differential housing, if necessary.
Install wheel and tire assemblies and lower the vehicle.

2500Ram

Thanks BigIron70 for the info!

I took it to a local shop today and they say $616 and I can have it fixed. I said no way. They wanted 4 hrs shop labor for the job. Sorry but I can't see that much time for a pinion seal.

So I'm looking into my options. I'm not apposed to doing it myself I just need to figure out how to get 440 ft lbs accurately on the crush sleeve.

I'm not worried about bearings or backlash just pinion preload.

Homestead

Buy the tools necessary and do it yourself and you will still be way ahead. off shore el cheapo 3/4 impact guns will work just fine for the amount you will use it on this job. Bonus is you have the junk needed to do it again if it ever comes up.

It's really not a big deal to do it.

Jeff

BigIron70

That's a rip off I have worked for Chrysler 28 years and I only charge 1.5 hrs or $150 plus parts to do the job. If you can't do it in 1.5 hrs you shouldnt be in the business. I get 4 hrs for complete overhaul, warranty time. You can rent torque wrench, puller, seal driver for less then that. Replace the flange and nut with the seal. turning torque meter would be nice don't go over the turning torque by more then 5 inch lbs and you will be ok.

2500Ram

I called the parts store and the pinion seal is $16 and they can't get the crush sleeve but say it's only ~10 or less dealer or other parts house.

The parts tech said he knows a guy doing this work on the side so I called him. Long story short he'll replace the seal and crush sleeve for $100 BUT I need to remove the rear end and drive it to him.

I looked at the rear and the sway bar, brake lines, emergency brake and u-bolts etc to get it off but still a pain as this is my "truck" and I have nothing to deliver it with.

Still thinking...

Thanks for the input everyone. keep it coming.

BigIron70

No crush sleeve on this diff. Preload is adjusted by shims only.

2500Ram

Thanks again!

If I get this rite the shims are between the pinion gear and inner bearing like the 8.8 I've done before (from the rear, I'm not opening that), then the outer bearing and nut, no cruch sleeve. What's the flange nut with seal your talking about? Is that the pinion nut and and new pinion seal or is that like an oil slinger washer that deflects the diff oil from the pinion seal.

TIA

BigIron70

There are also small shims between the front pinion bearing and pinion. These smaller shims are used to adjust bearing preload. You shouldn't have to worry about these unless you are changing the pinion bearings and turning torque is excessive over 35 inch lbs on used bearings. That is not total turning torque that is only pinion turning torque. It get a little complicated but as long as you are not changing gears or bearing you should be OK just tightening down to spec with a new nut installed. For added safety I use blue locktite also on pinion nut. Better safe then sorry the nut comes loose will cause much damage to your diff. then just a seal leaking.
I had truck towed into shop today because pinion nut came off. The drive shaft and yoke seperated from the pinion shaft. The truck has 80K miles on it, the diff was never worked on before, go figure.

2500Ram

Thanks, I'll keep everyone posted.

torquefan

I can't believe he'd ask you to remove the rear axle first. That would be way more work than just putting in the seal yourself. Good advice about replacing the pinion nut and the flange at the same time, that's the way I do it as well. You sure seem to be getting the runaround as far as finding a competent tech to do the work, kinda disappointing. As was mentioned, 1.5 hours is about the right time to do it. Hopefully nobody tries to sell you a whole overhaul if it isn't required. Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

rickf

I am not sure you would be able to do this just jacked up on the ground. 440 ft. lbs. is going to be a 3/4" drive or even a 1" torque wrench and it is going to be long. You are going to need room to swing it. Do NOT use an impact wrench! I have seen my share of cracked ring and pinion gears from slamming against each other from the impact. One feasible option is a torque multiplier. You will have to arrange for the reaction bar but that will be doable. The problem will be the holding tool for the pinion. I would say a big pipe wrench but that is too much torque for that.

Rick

gorms

I swapped out my seal a few months ago, hardest part was getting the old pinion nut off after 220k miles. I went out and bought a 3/4 impact gun to no avail, ended up drilling 2 holes into the nut and splitting it off, took about 10 minutes. I used a 3' pipe wrench to hold the yolk and a 3/4 breaker bar to tighten it as much as I could, I have a bad habbit of not using a torque wrench. It's been fine.

Andy505

2500Ram

I saw you were from Colorado Springs. When I was in the military I was stationed at fort carson (just 2-3 years ago) Nationwide Drivetrain on East Platte Ave. change my front and rear gears from 4.10 to 3.54 and rebuilt my NV4500. Pretty reasonable in price and very knowledgeable. I wouldn't hesitate to take my truck back there If I needed more work. Just fyi.

2500Ram

thanks everyone. I have an appt for tomorrow AM at another shop.

1 hr shop time and ~150$ I'm fine with that.

Get this. The last shop, the one that was going to charge me $616 drained the diff fluid and didn't tell me. I drove about 10 miles didn't see a drip on the cardboard the next morning so I had to put in 2 qts and it's still not full.