pinion seal replacement

[BFS57]

Hello guys;
Got a couple questions about replacing a pinion seal.
The car is my daily '57 4 door hardtop. I believe that the car originally had a 6 in it but I bought it with a 350 in it. I am pretty sure the rear end is stock. I hate leaky cars so when I discovered the rear end seal was leaking, I pulled it and re-sealed it. Now the same rear end has a pinion seal leak. I haven't done one of these before.
First, where can I get a part?  What way do I go about describing my part needed to a guy that only understands the word Honda?
What degree of difficulty is involved? I'm thinking of farming this one out.
Also, I have a '32 Vicky that has the same disorder but the rearend is From a Ford. As the car was pretty much built, I don't know the way to tell 8" from 9"? How about difficulty with this job?
Anyone got any helpful hints?

Thanks, BFS57

[enjenjo]

Most any part store will have pinion seals, or be able to get them. They are pretty much just standard oil seals. they are usually listed as rear axle pinion front seal.

to tell if the Ford rear is an 8" or 9", try to put a socket and extension on one of the bottom carrier to housing bolts. If a socket fits, it's an 8", if there is no room for it, it's a 9".

To properly replace the pinion seal, the pinion bearing preload should be reset on either the Chevy, or Ford rear. But you may not have the tools or knowledge to do it.  There is another way though.

To change just the seal without disturbing the other settings, remove the driveshaft, hold the yoke with a fixture or wrench, and remove the pinion nut using a torque wrench, and recording the torque needed to break it loose. Remove the yoke, and the old seal, clean the seal bore, and install the new seal square in the bore. Check the yoke for a groove where the seal rides, install a SpeediSleeve if needed, lube the yoke and seal with chassis grease, and reinstall the yoke. Hold the yoke, and torque the nut to the same value it was before. This will usually work, unless things are corroded to the point that the yoke sticks on the shaft.

[BarryM]

Hello guys;
Anyone got any helpful hints?

Thanks, BFS57

Usually seals can be swapped by just pulling the yoke, as long as the bearing isn't trashing out and destroying it. But the common leak issue is the lack of ventilation. Rear brakes on the plow truck didn't work much, both covered with lube. After a clean up and seals, drained the rear and cleaned up the yoke seal that was also leaking. Not only was the vent hose gone but the fitting had to be drilled out, appeares to have been asphalt in it. Now vented, the yoke seal held without changing it.