I should replace my tailshaft and pinion seal. The tailshaft looks easy, pull out and carefully pound in new. Oh ya how should i pull it out?

But now the pinion seal looks a bit more difficult. Do i just take that big nut off the pinion and then the parts will slid off and i put the new seal in? If anyone has a step by step i'd greatly appreciate it.

Anyone? I need to get my rear end bakc under the car.

Is it leaking? If it is then it might be more than just the seal. Many times a pinion seal will leak because one of the pinion bearings has gone bad.

The yoke doesn't always slide off. Sometimes it is more of a press fit. Remove the nut with an impact wrench. It takes a 1 1/4 inch socket. You might have to knock the yoke off with a hammer or use a puller. Remove the seal with a screw driver or whatever it takes to get it out. Clean the splines of the pinion shaft. Be sure that nothing gets into the bearing. Clean inside of the housing where the seal goes and smear a thin coat of RTV around this area. Drive in the new seal. Grease the lip of the seal. Clean the splines in the yoke. Smear some RTV into the splines of the yoke and put it back on. Install the nut with red Loktite on the threads. Torque the nut to 150 foot pounds. It is best if you use a new nut. GM has them.

There is no "Torque" rating for the pinion nut. You tighen the nut until you reach the right backlash.

There is no backlash when dealing with the pinion nut. You are refering to bearing preload. Backlash is set by shimming the differential bearings.

If you are not replacing the crush spacer then you can torque the nut to 150 foot pounds and be safe. At this torque level the spacer is not going to crush any more, so it will not increase the bearing preload. If the spacer is going to be replaced then the bearing preload must be set. In that case you are right that there is no set torque on the nut. It must be tightened until the bearings reach about 17 to 21 inch pounds of preload with new bearings. Most people do not replace the spacer when replacing the seal. Replacing the spacer requires complete disassembly of the rear end so that the preload can be set.

Thanks a lot for the info!! Yep i got air and electric impacts and gear pullers. If i do everything correctly that you posted in post#3, i wont have to deal with setting the backlash or anything? Since i dont want to take my cover off again i will just change the seal and hope its not the bearing. If it is the bearing i'll buy a pbr disc rear in the future. Thanks again for the info and if i have any problems i'll know who to contact.

the trans seal can be removed with a screwdriver if you're careful not to hit or pry on the aluminum housing. Loctite a new one in. seal pullers are cheap if you're scared, and could also be used to replace your diff seal.

Thanks for the help guys. Just got my tailshaft seal in. The diff seal will be fine, later this year im putting in a pbr disc rear anyways. My car should be in for paint this week i hope!!