Replacing Pinion Seal, '01 Ranger, 7.5 in Rear

[morsetaper2]

Have a 2001 Ranger 4-door XLT ext cab, 3.0 V6, AT, 2WD, 118,000 miles...

All of a sudden I'm noticing diff oil drops in the driveway. I changed the fluid out this past summer, all was holding just fine at that time. Of course I removed the diff cover to do the fluid change.

But it appears that the front seal on the diff is now leaking, the pinion seal. I have the Ford factory Service Manual. It looks like its a reasonably easy job, recod torque to rotate axle w/ drums off. Take the pinion nut off, remove the pinion flange (w/ a puller), pry out the seal, replace, reverse installation, etc.

Looks like an easy afternoon job. the only hangup I see is the drive pinion installer tool. Looks like to install the pinion this will thread in the pinion gear shaft. And as I tighten it down it pulls the pinion flange onto the shaft. Is this tool absolutely necessary? Wouldn't just tightening the pinion nut pull it on?

In an OLD THREAD I read, here is the procedure. Someone took it right from the service manual.

[Sprag-O]

I honestly would replace the crush sleeve at the same time... but other then that, yeah, remove driveshaft, pull the nut, the flange, pull the seal and crush sleeve, then reverse it.

[morsetaper2]

Is the drive pinion flange installer tool reqd? Would like to hear from anyone whose done this job.

[morsetaper2]

In the OLD THREAD I posted above, they specify in the manual to install a NEW pinion nut. Anybody know why?

In my manual the torque on this nut to preload a new bearing set is 16-29 INCH-LBS, a used bearing is 8-14 INCH-LBS. Those are extremely light torque values that wouldn't distort a nut of that thread size?? So why a new pinion nut??

[KIMO]

In the OLD THREAD I posted above, they specify in the manual to install a NEW pinion nut. Anybody know why?

In my manual the torque on this nut to preload a new bearing set is 16-29 INCH-LBS, a used bearing is 8-14 INCH-LBS. Those are extremely light torque values that wouldn't distort a nut of that thread size?? So why a new pinion nut??

because they say so , no really the reason is the nut is a either a poly-lock or crush lock nut, those should not be reused
also the torque specs is actually "drag" of the pinion trying to turn, in other words once you tighten the nut down it should take 8-14 inch pounds to turn the pinion gear without the carrier installed

[morsetaper2]

Well I did the seal replacement today and all went well. Last weekend I dropped the driveshaft to have a close look at what I'd need and spray everything w/ penetrating oil. I also took some measurements to make the "special tools" shown in the service manual. So measurements combined w/ pictures in the service manual, I made the tools during the week.

I think you could get by w/o the installer, using instead the old nut. Because once you get the flange started back on there was enough thread to get the old nut on, and just wrench it down. Then once its down to the point you start checking preload, just back it off and install the new nut. The nut comes w/ threadlocker on it. The thread is an unusual thread, a 3/4-20 UNEF thread.

I made a seal installer from a pc of alum round. This was a big help in getting the seal in straight w/ no fudging around.

Now the flange holder I think is a must have. Mine is kinda elaborate, and convenient to use by design - made to be quick/easy on and off while your checking the bearing preload torque. But really a pc of 1" square steel tube or angle iron drilled for two adjacent flange holes, and grind away the area where the flange pilot (for driveshaft) would cause interference, could be made to work. The holder is definetly a timesaver, but I was happy to have made the installer and seal driver. I'm a mech engineer by employment, and a hobby machinist & welder for fun. So they were easy for me to home-brew.



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[Sprag-O]

Nice man... Spoiled with fancy tools and such


Glad you got that taken care of.