Rear End/ Drive Shaft Seal Replacement

TREYDIXON1977 · 02-27-2007, 03:12 PM

My Rear End Seal ( Where The Drive Shaft Goes Into The Rear End) Is Leaking On My 1998 Chevy Z71. I Cant Get The Big Nut Off That Holds It On. Does Anybody Have Any Advice? Are The Threads Left Handed Or Right? Thanks, Trey

75K30 · 02-27-2007, 03:23 PM

Welcome to the forum.
Are you talking about the pinion seal? Gonna need an impact to remove this one, and probably not a cheap one. It is on pretty tight. It is a standard direction thread.
Make sure you torque it back correctly after seal replacement. You will be replacing the pinion bearings, and maybe the gears if you leave it too loose, or crush the sleeve too far. If you are stuck with the breaker bar method, make sure the parking brake is on, and the wheels are chocked. The truck will try to roll when you spin the yoke. The air method is the way to go.

dstrick32 · 02-27-2007, 04:56 PM

I agree with 75K30!!

nate3436 · 02-27-2007, 06:44 PM

If you use the breaker bar method the amount of slop when you yank on the shaft should be around 1/32.

bradrhale · 02-28-2007, 06:31 AM

i use a 3/4 impact on mine at the shop. it aint going to just come right off. definitely chock the wheels.

mudseeker · 02-28-2007, 06:33 AM

let me know how it goes when you do it, i think i may need to replace mine also. lately when i get out of my truck i can smell some thing hot and i looked under the truck and the pumpkin had steam coming off it, so i think i should look at it soon before i become stranded.

75K30 · 02-28-2007, 06:49 AM

mudseeker:
If you believe that you have a leak at the pinion seal also, and the rear diff is hot enough to steam, then you had better check the level right away! You might have run very low, and not realized it. The bearings really are not too crazy about it, and much condensation will result from the drastic temp changes.

Sorry to hi-jack.
Does not look like the original post is too alive anyway.

TREYDIXON1977 · 02-28-2007, 01:42 PM

Does Anybody Know What Exact Size The Nut Is?????? I Thought It Was 1 3/8 , But Its A Little Too Big, 1 5/16 Seems To Be It??? Or Is It Metric??? Thanks, Trey

72'CaminoKid · 02-28-2007, 08:54 PM

if its in between the 2 standardsizes, its most likely metric

mudseeker · 03-02-2007, 05:45 AM

yeah i will be tearing into it this weekend during my days off, maybe a good time for an upgrade while i'm in there too.

02-27-2007, 03:12 PM	#1
TREYDIXON1977 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2	Rear End/ Drive Shaft Seal Replacement My Rear End Seal ( Where The Drive Shaft Goes Into The Rear End) Is Leaking On My 1998 Chevy Z71. I Cant Get The Big Nut Off That Holds It On. Does Anybody Have Any Advice? Are The Threads Left Handed Or Right? Thanks, Trey

02-27-2007, 04:56 PM	#3
dstrick32 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Hilliard, FL Posts: 101	I agree with 75K30!! __________________ 95 Ford F-150XL 5.0 Automatic 92 Chevy Silverado 5.7 Automatic 94 Toyota Ex-Cab 4X4 3.0 Automatic

02-28-2007, 06:33 AM	#6
mudseeker mod-o-tator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 4,525	let me know how it goes when you do it, i think i may need to replace mine also. lately when i get out of my truck i can smell some thing hot and i looked under the truck and the pumpkin had steam coming off it, so i think i should look at it soon before i become stranded. __________________ member map add yourself alldatadiy why is it, when i push one for english, i still can't understand the person on the other end?

02-28-2007, 08:54 PM	#9
72'CaminoKid Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,329	if its in between the 2 standardsizes, its most likely metric __________________ 99 suburban xlt 96 silverado 91 wrangler (my baby ) 08 Honday shadow 750 (my mistress)

03-02-2007, 05:45 AM	#10
mudseeker mod-o-tator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 4,525	yeah i will be tearing into it this weekend during my days off, maybe a good time for an upgrade while i'm in there too. __________________ member map add yourself alldatadiy why is it, when i push one for english, i still can't understand the person on the other end?

02-27-2007, 03:23 PM	#2
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,636	Welcome to the forum. Are you talking about the pinion seal? Gonna need an impact to remove this one, and probably not a cheap one. It is on pretty tight. It is a standard direction thread. Make sure you torque it back correctly after seal replacement. You will be replacing the pinion bearings, and maybe the gears if you leave it too loose, or crush the sleeve too far. If you are stuck with the breaker bar method, make sure the parking brake is on, and the wheels are chocked. The truck will try to roll when you spin the yoke. The air method is the way to go.

02-27-2007, 06:44 PM	#4
nate3436 Full Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southeast Iowa Posts: 45	If you use the breaker bar method the amount of slop when you yank on the shaft should be around 1/32.

02-28-2007, 06:31 AM	#5
bradrhale Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,616	i use a 3/4 impact on mine at the shop. it aint going to just come right off. definitely chock the wheels.

02-28-2007, 06:49 AM	#7
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,636	mudseeker: If you believe that you have a leak at the pinion seal also, and the rear diff is hot enough to steam, then you had better check the level right away! You might have run very low, and not realized it. The bearings really are not too crazy about it, and much condensation will result from the drastic temp changes. Sorry to hi-jack. Does not look like the original post is too alive anyway.

02-28-2007, 01:42 PM	#8
TREYDIXON1977 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2	Does Anybody Know What Exact Size The Nut Is?????? I Thought It Was 1 3/8 , But Its A Little Too Big, 1 5/16 Seems To Be It??? Or Is It Metric??? Thanks, Trey

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