Question on 9 inch rear leak

[flashback52]

Have a leak at the pinion shaft yoke (where the driveshaft attaches to the rear). Have pulled the pinion from the rear, and looks like I can find the parts at Randy's ring and pinion (Home Page) but I'm wondering - does installing a new seal and crush washer disturb the pinion/ring alignment and require the rear to be set up again, or are the guts set, and putting it back together (with the one shim that was already there) mean it'll mate the way it originally was? Getting some conflicting opinions locally, wondering what y'all think.

Also, have seen some threads where the crush washer is left out altogether. Is this an option for me? I assume the washer is there to give you the proper drag - my shop guy spun it and told me the pinion was too loose, should have more drag.

Thanks.

[22GT]

Originally Posted by flashback52

Have a leak at the pinion shaft yoke (where the driveshaft attaches to the rear). Have pulled the pinion from the rear, and looks like I can find the parts at Randy's ring and pinion (Home Page) but I'm wondering - does installing a new seal and crush washer disturb the pinion/ring alignment and require the rear to be set up again, or are the guts set, and putting it back together (with the one shim that was already there) mean it'll mate the way it originally was? Getting some conflicting opinions locally, wondering what y'all think.

Also, have seen some threads where the crush washer is left out altogether. Is this an option for me? I assume the washer is there to give you the proper drag - my shop guy spun it and told me the pinion was too loose, should have more drag.

Thanks.

You don't need to do all that to replace the pinion seal.

There were only two possibilities. 8" and 28 spline 9" rears used a crush collar. The 31 spline 9" used shims. Assembling the rear without one or the other would be a disaster.

• Immobilize the pinion yoke
• Remove the driveshaft
• Remove the pinion yoke nut
• Remove the pinion yoke
• Remove the pinion seal
• Install new pinion seal
• Install pinion yoke
• Install new pinion nut
• Torque nut to 125 ft/lbs
• Install driveshaft

[flashback52]

Thanks, 22GT. Guess I could put it back together and do it that way, but since the car's completely apart and the entire rear axle is laying on the floor behind the car, this seemed the way to go. Also gives me a chance to replace that big O ring around the pinion assembly.

Last question - I thought the correct torque for the pinion nut was 200 ft-lbs.