Don't touch the pinion seal unless you really have to, it is a minefield with
a high chance of destroying the collapsible washer, the method described in
the Workshop Manual should *not* be used. If you are working with an axle
that is new to you and it is going onto your car as mine was then I did
replace the bearings and oil seals, as they are unknown quantities. If the
worst comes to the worst and it leaks in use the pinion oil seal can be
replaced just by removing the prop-shaft. Even so driving the old bearings
off and new ones on is no trivial task, really needing a hydraulic press.
I've heard tales of putting the half-shaft in the freezer and bearings in the
oven as far as fitting new ones goes, but after struggling for a long time
just to get one bearing off I got someone else to do the rest. *Make sure*
they get the bearing spacer between the bearing and the shoulder on the
half-shaft the right way round, the concave side faces the shoulder and the
flat face the bearing. If you get it the wrong way round the shaft goes too
far into the diff, the hubs are closer together, and the brake drums can rub
on the back-plates. Also examine the tapered oil seal collar that slides onto
the half-shaft after the bearing (the seal rides on the parallel part and the
hub jams onto the tapered part) and replace that if it shows any signs of
grooving.
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
It might not be a bad idea to
pull both half shafts and replace the outer bearings and seals and the
pinion seal while you're at it.
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