Pinion seal replacement

SuperDave4x4

SuperDave4x4

popcorn playa
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
3,416
It seems as if my pinion seal has quit on me. How difficult is it to replace and are there any special tools involved?

Any tips, tricks or part numbers would be extremely appreciated. I have to get this fixed before I move two states over.....:doh:

Thanks!
 
Its pretty straightforward, I just did mine yesterday. Pull the driveshaft, then take the yoke off and you're there. My dana 80 required a 1&7/8ths inch socket, and not the impact sockets, the walls are too thick and wont get inside the yoke. My yoke dang near fell off but I've had them where it takes a jaw puller to get them off too. I would recommend the dodge seal, its really well-made, much better than you can get at discount stores. Quad 4X4 might have some good ones too.
 
bosshogg said:
Its pretty straightforward, I just did mine yesterday. Pull the driveshaft, then take the yoke off and you're there. My dana 80 required a 1&7/8ths inch socket, and not the impact sockets, the walls are too thick and wont get inside the yoke. My yoke dang near fell off but I've had them where it takes a jaw puller to get them off too. I would recommend the dodge seal, its really well-made, much better than you can get at discount stores. Quad 4X4 might have some good ones too.
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Thanks for the info! What differential fluid did you use?

Does anyone know what size socket is needed for a Dana 70 yoke?
 
I'm currently running John Deere 85W140, though its not full synthetic cause the parts guy got me the wrong stuff.
 
Well after some "googling" it seems that it takes 3 quarts to fill and they recommened fluid is 80w-90. Also the torque on the nut was a whopping 215-330 ft-lbs...via..Dodge Ram Dana 70 Axle Specifications Am I reading that right??????

Any benefits to going to the 85w-140?
 
The 01 FSM says 75W140 full synthetic when towing or heavy duty use. As far as benefits, the thicker oil will protect better in the summer, but it will be harder to get warm in the winter.
 
Grab your pinion and work it up and down, see if it moves. My pinion bearings were shot and took my seal out. Quad4X4 told me D70 only get 125k out of them. $.02
 
nrose07 said:
Grab your pinion and work it up and down, see if it moves. My pinion bearings were shot and took my seal out. Quad4X4 told me D70 only get 125k out of them. $.02
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196k on stock seal, ujoints, and bearings. Fluid has been changed 2 times. Once at 30k and the second at 100k. Next time will be 200k. Full synthetic.
 
What about the 60 up front?

is there a crush sleeve in there that needs to be replaced if you unload it?
 
BgBlDodge said:
196k on stock seal, ujoints, and bearings. Fluid has been changed 2 times. Once at 30k and the second at 100k. Next time will be 200k. Full synthetic.
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Well I didn't say that mine went out at 125K, I went to 230K with factory bearings, joints, and seal. Did a 600miles tow through the mountains with a 24k trailer to finish it off.
 
Well I got under the truck to see if it was the bearing by putting the truck in neutral and moving the driveshaft near the yolk. Sure enough I could move the yolk around enough to cause me to believe that the bearing is bad. I have no way of replacing the bearings myself so I'm looking for a pinion bearing replacement kit then take the truck some where to be fixed.

Who makes a pinion bearing replacement kit?
 
SuperDave4x4 said:
. Who makes a pinion bearing replacement kit?
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Timkin!

I have replaced all the u-joints on my truck except front drive shaft ones. Everyone I took out I pilled the cups and they all had plenty of grease in them. Did it just cause of P.M.S. I would hate to be stuck somewhere broke down.
 
I did mine myself, just went to Napa and used their press for $20, all you need is a micrometer, torque wrench, and a big ass cheater bar for the pinion nut. Measure your shims or reuse the same ones.
 
Do your carrier bearings at the same time, your pulling it anyways. Mine weren't bad,,, but they were loose.
 
I got an 02 that is down right now with a bad pinion seal... Note that Dodge has 2 different types of seals for the dana 80... I got some pictures here for anybody curious. My dana 80 is the one with the double stepped in hole for the seal, not the deep one like the first seal they gave me.
IMG_0051.jpg

IMG_0052.jpg

IMG_0056.jpg

IMG_0057.jpg
 
Im on my second pinion seal and its leaking again, which leads me to believe the bearing is bad. I changed the stock seal at 120k and its leaking again at 156k. I think the torque spec for the D80 pinion nut is 600 ft/lbs? I remember using a torque multiplier like the one above.

I think an overlooked reason for pinion bearing failure on these trucks is the weak snap ring in the transfercase. (maybe some one could confirm my thought). My transfercase tailshaft seal leaks pretty bad too.
 
ETH/DEE said:
Im on my second pinion seal and its leaking again, which leads me to believe the bearing is bad. I changed the stock seal at 120k and its leaking again at 156k. I think the torque spec for the D80 pinion nut is 600 ft/lbs? I remember using a torque multiplier like the one above.

I think an overlooked reason for pinion bearing failure on these trucks is the weak snap ring in the transfercase. (maybe some one could confirm my thought). My transfercase tailshaft seal leaks pretty bad too.
Click to expand...

no kiddin? i am waiting on the correct seal to come in, i hope it don't quit that soon. was your yoke grooved at all? yeah I don't know on the tq exactly, guy up at dodge told me impact it off and impact it on, i think i am going to try for 80lbs input on the 1:6 multiplier and try that. what did you do yours to? I don't want to get them bearings too tight..

I would say that is a pretty good guess.
 
I think I tq'd it to 500 ft/lbs, 125 on a 4:1 multipier. There was some obvious wear on the yoke but nothing I could feel with my fingers. At the time I don't think bearing wear had crossed my mind, but now after seeing the seal fail in only 40k it must be. I'll probably end up buying a D80 rebuild kit from Quad4x4.com and looking for a factory LSD to replace my open diff.

Deffenetly mark your DS,yoke, and diff. housing like in the pictures above I didnt mark the yoke/driveshaft and ended getting a bad hop under decelleration and had to flip the shaft 180.
 
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