Dana 60 pinion seal, - 3rd. one

[Highbanked Hauler]

The 500 got retired at 73K miles  in 1975 and was just starting to leak out of the pinion seal.  I put in a new seal  at 73K and At about 80K it got another one and 89 another for the same reason. At 93 its leaking again only more and faster. I checked the vent and it was clear. It runs quiet, there is no whine or grinding noise and has never been run low on oil.  My thought is that it is the pinion bearing . Any ideas ?
  My understanding is that Dana's are a PIA. to deal with if you don't have all the tools and experience..

[birdsandbees]

Did you polish the yolk surface before reassembly?? 

[Highbanked Hauler]

Did you polish the yolk surface before reassembly?? 

   Ah no I didn't, because I figured the seal would be in the same place which was clean, no huh ?

[birdsandbees]

Get under there and reef up and down on it and see if there is any movement. If none it's probably not your bearings.

This round when replacing the seal, remove the yolk.. clamp it in a vice and then take some 250 sandpaper or so and polish the sealing surface out until the lip mark disappears. Then polish it up with some finer paper and it will give the new seal a fresh surface to seal in on.

What is probably happening is the new seal lip is just a bit off of the old grove and the grove actually helps oil get out.. or you have a nick in the sealing surface on the yolk.

[Highbanked Hauler]

 Gotcha,  My concern each time with this thing is getting the right torque on the nut as torque will change the position the teeth mesh won't it ?

[birdsandbees]

Don't think the Dana uses a crush sleeve, so nothing should move. I stand to be corrected though as I have no Dana experience..

[sccachallenger]

I've never used one, but I believe there are "repair sleeves" that can be pressed on the old yoke.
To give a new surface for the seal to ride.

[matrout76]

When i install a double lip seal, i always put some good bearing grease in the groove between the lips.  In my mind, this provides some lubrication to keep the seals from burning up against the dry surface.  It seems to work, at least i haven't had any problems doing this.

[68 RT]

I do the same as above. Just coat seal with high temp wheel bearing grease.

[John_Kunkel]

Did you polish the yolk surface before reassembly??  

  Ah no I didn't, because I figured the seal would be in the same place which was clean, no huh ?

Some replacement seals purposely relocate the seal lip so it doesn't ride on the (possibly) grooved original position.