Rear pinion yoke seal advice

[FHerault]

Since I'm a little fed up with throwing parts in my truck since the summer, I would like to have opinions about the rear pinion yoke. I'm changing the seal and it seems that the old seal has grooved the yoke. I've cleaned it and sanded it with #100 and #400 sand paper but I can clearly see the groove (see photo). Do you think I'll have a leak if I put this yoke ? Should I sand it a little more ?

While I was there, I had a look at the bearings and I've found shims behind the first bearing. I thought for years that the Dodge Dana 70 used a crush sleeve for the preload. Am I wrong ?

After the seal, rear brakes drums, shoes and winter tires are the last things I'll do for my old truck cheap ''transformation'' this year (I hope!)

Thanks in advance for your inputs !

 

[DavidC]

Not to sure that will seal. I wonder if a speed sleeve is available ?.

Dave

 

[Bob4x4]

Wear sleeves are available from Dana

 

[Joe Mc]

I think you’ll have a problem for sure trying to get that to seal, a wear sleeve will do the trick and according to Bob are available from Dana. I did a quick check on Rock Auto and they appear to have them as well.

 

[FHerault]

Thank you very much.
Your advices just confirm my thoughts that the truck will not run on monday...
I've checked at RockAuto and they have the sleeve. I'll have to check at the local store before and if not available, will have to buy online and wait again a couple of days. Planning is the main thing with an old truck and remote locations...

About the bearings preload, is that much important to check the rotating torque to the yoke since it seems that my axle uses shims and not a crush sleeve ? I have put marks on the yoke, nut and shaft.

 

[Joe Mc]

I’ve replaced the pinion seal on my D70 and like you marked the nut and the shaft before removal. I installed the seal, use a little gear oil on the rubber part so it doesn’t start out dry, a little trick I learned a long time back when installing new seals was to use a little permatex on the seal metal-to-the-housing area “just in case”, I returned the pinion nut back to the marks and tapped the edge back into the slot/keyway. Been over 30k miles and all dry. Have fun.

 

[Joe Mc]

Oh, I was lucky and didn’t need a sleeve. However, in the past I’ve used them and I seem to recall that a sealer of sorts is to be used on the original shaft before installing the sleeve. I also am pretty sure this “sealer of sorts” is included with the sleeve kit.

 

[FHerault]

Thank you Joe MC.

Like you I never let the seals start out dry.
The only thing I don't like with the sleeves is that they give a larger diameter and due to that the seals are stretched a little more...
But it will be fine for a couple month I hope.

 

[Joe Mc]

I’ve found that the sleeve “kits” include: seal, sleeve, sealant (for sleeve-to-shaft) and “de-structions” = LOL, a seal that’s sized correctly to the sleeve, which is very thin BTW. When used in the past on other vehicles I’ve never had problems with them lasting. You should be good for a long time. Let us know how things work out and from where you obtained the kit. NAPA usually offers pretty good kits, but Rock Auto should be comparable. Enjoy!

 

[petersonj]

I replaced my original seal with a new seal and speedi-sleeve. So far no leaks with over 75,000 miles on the new seal.

- John

 

[FHerault]

Thanks for your inputs.
I ended purchasing a skf kit online because the price at NAPA (and others...) was disappointing (63 canadian $ before taxes !) and some didn't even know what I was talking about. I don't like to do that for the local business but...
The kit (PN SKF 99187) seems to come only with the sleeve and the ''installer''. I've already bought the seal before that (skf too) so it doesn't matter. Skf say that it's designed to work with the OEM sized seals.
Just have to wait a couple of days and check the mail...not too bad since it's cold and snowy today !
75,000 miles without leaks, I'll take it.
Thanks again.