The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Last year I replaced the pinion seal in my rear end and put a sleeve on the pinion yoke since it was wore pretty good. The car sat over the winter and now that it is nice out again I have been driving it some. Got to looking at it today and pinion is leaking again! Also I seem to have a noise coming from the rear end, it sounds like metal rubbing against metal, it goes away when I stop or let off the gas. I always though it was my exhaust rubbing the driveshaft a little, but it's not. Did I do something wrong when I replaced the pinion seal? The rear end is a 8 3/4 with a 741 pig head.

spitfire9137 wrote:put a sleeve on the pinion yoke since it was wore pretty good.

You lost me there a bit. Can you explain that bit for me please?

Its a wear sleeve dave, you put it on when the pinion seal has wore a grove into the yoke. Its just a thing peice of metal that goes over the end of the yoke to give the seal new metal to seal against. Here it is on Yearone's site incase I didn't explain it good enough.

I see. Didn't know you could get a repair bit for that.

If it is leaking again that suggests something whent wrong like maybe the wear sleeve has come loose on the Yoke or something?

I wouldent think so, it had to be pressed on there, but I guess it is possible. Will have to take it apart again I guess.

it might pay to check the pinion bearings ive found that if seals dont last its usually because there is to much play
cheers ian

How do you go about checking pinion bearings. I un-bolted the driveshaft and tried to wiggle the yoke around, there is no play in it at all. I really don't want to take this pig head apart.

The front bearing should come out of the nose easy enough. But chances are if there is serious damage or wear in the diff it will have to come apart no matter what.

But cheer up! Re-building a diff is an interesting and rewarding job!

Just a friendly warning....... If you remove the pumpkin with the axle in the car, be sure to have the jack-stands under the frame extensions - NOT the axle - as axles have been known to bend under the load with the pumpkin out.

Don't forget to watch the outer axle seals vs. the axle shaft during disassembly. Of course new seals should be installed anyways so,,, upon installation.

Jon