Rear pinon seal keeps leaking

[LC_rover]

My rear pinon seal gave way a few weeks back, and I replaced it, but the new one leaked right away. I took it apart, and sure enough the seal was damaged. I am guessing I put it in there incorrectly or something? Well, I replaced it a second time, and that one too started leaking almost right away, although not as severe.

The first attempt, I tried to sort of tap the new seal in there, and the second attempt I put the seal on the retainer and allowed it to push it in as I tightened the castle nut. I haven't taken the 2nd one off yet, but I am pretty sure it will show damage as well.

Is it just a case of me tightening these things down too much? I tried to go a little easier the 2nd time around, but perhaps I still over tightened. I don't have a torque wrench.

[jac04]

What kind of damage did you see on the seal? Was it contacting the input pinion flange where it wasn't supposed to be? Was the seal positioned correctly? You should be able to see faint 'polished' areas on the pinion flange where the seals were contacting it.

Also, inspect the pinion flange sealing surface very carefully. I installed a new pinion flange & new seal and it leaked. The flange had some very minor scratches on it. I installed a SKF Speedi-Sleeve on the input pinion flange and that fixed the leak.

[LR Max]

I installed a SKF Speedi-Sleeve on the input pinion flange and that fixed the leak.

Part # please? I've gotta do mine here soon.

[jac04]

SKF # 99174.
You could also use a 99180 in a pinch, but it is a little shorter and you will have to stop a little short of seating the sleeve flange on the input pinion flange.

[LC_rover]

It looks like the inside lip of the seal is getting torn somehow. I don't see the seal faces getting damaged really, but the inside sealing surface... the internal diameter sealing lip... is getting damaged, and it happens right away.

The speedi sleeve would help if its not making a proper seal... right?

I think its sealing properly, but then the seal is getting damaged. There is either another problem that I can't see... i.e. a burr or a scratch or something... or I am torquing it down too much when trying to line up the holes in the castle nut. Should I be backing off the nut a bit after tightening down the seal?

uzzled:

[LC_rover]

I think this guy might have the right tip...

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=7903

I don't think I was seating the seal down properly or far enough and that raised lip was getting trashed by the flange. I'll try again, using the old seal as a drift to help be get this monkey in there right.

[jac04]

For torqueing the castle nut, the manual gives a range of something like 70 to 120 ft-lbs IIRC. Start at the lowest torque to see what you get.

I think the manual also shows how far to seat the seal, but I can't remember right now for sure. Worth a look.

[Andrew IIA]

I hope you can get it to stop leaking.

Mine's been leaking for nine years and three pinion seals. The good news is that its a good leak to have (relatively speaking ); the pinion is about half way up the diff, so it will only leak until about half-empty (or half-full) rather than leaking until all-the-way empty like it will if it leaks at the drain plug.

As they (we) say, 'If its leaking that means there's oil in there.'

[LC_rover]

I think using the old seal as a drift and getting the seal pushed down in there properly has done the trick. It appears I am back to "normal" leakage.