Pinion seal replace

[mowerman]

3 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

Still well into the range of at least a 3/4" torque wrench,  which is going to be damn hard to use while under a trash truck!

lol geoff that one deserves 10 likes,,bob

[Geoff Weeks]

I've done my share of diff work, I have the torque multiplier for a reason.

I worked one place that had to re-torque the rotex bearing on equipment yearly. They had either a 1" or 3/4" torque wrench ( 40 some odd years ago, I don't remember which it was)  and there was barely room to swing it in the service bay with the machine in there.

Torque multiplier is dead easy: put on the nut/bolt to be tightened and install a short reaction bar to someplace solid on what you are working on, dial the 1/2" torque wrench to the correct input torque and start ratcheting away until the torque wrench clicks. In most cases a one man job.

works great on trucks, there is always the frame to act against.  

[RS Disposal]

23 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

My point is still to focus on what is likely to shut you down, oil on brake cans isn't (unless the inspector is a real dick) Oil soaking brake shoes will. 

Air lines on the verge of failure will also get you shut down in an inspection even if they don't fail on the road and shut you down.

So why if it only runs 150 miles in a week, can't you address some of these looming problems? 

There is a lot of oil in a differential, part of the reason there is more than needed for lube is to cool.  A qt or two low isn't going to kill it. 

If it were I, I would pay a shop to do the pinion seal (as other have recommended) and use my time to address the other issues.

While a torque multiplier is a good tool to have when working on stuff that needs to be torqued higher than a 1/2 torque wrench can reach, it is expensive kit to sit on the shelf. It is much more versatile then a 3/4 or 1' torque wrench because you can use it in tight spots that the long handle on a torque wrench that can go 600 ft/lb+ can't be used.

Look, I know what it is like, I started with one truck, and had to prioritize repairs, I see big problems if you keep jumping problems without resolving any completely. I see real potential for a tow bill in your future, and trust me, you don't want that.

It would be cheaper to pay to have the job done than it would be to "Kit up" for this one job. 

Just because this truck only runs maybe 150 miles a week during ski season doesn't mean that I don't work work than full time.  When I lost my 2 biggest accounts in the same summer and since rear load work in the valley isn't really there in my area I had to branch out and expanded into smaller roll off construction dumpsters. During covid even that dropped off so I started a small project handyman business being people were stuck at home and noticing alot of small things they wanted done. So, I work from anywhere from 50 to 70 hours a week, depending on truck/dumpster work, during my busy season which is now. this truck's work load is seasonal and I try to do most of my work and repairs during off season.  It is staged and runs out of a mountain location and get packed with frozen slush and ice and makes for doing anything under the truck extremely difficult. AT night it lately it is getting down to single digits and very seldom gets above freezing, so frozen ice and slush just doesn't melt and fall off. Doesn't spend enough time in the valley with temps at only low 40's anyway for much to melt and fall off.  Don't have a shop big enough to put truck inside.

As I found out with the engine breakdown I had 2 years ago, in my area trying to find someone who will work on an older truck was impossible. So I gave up wasting my time and trying to find someone.  I couldn't even find someone to do rear brakes being it has inboard drums and requires drive hub removal. Being my dad was a fabricator and had a machine shop and I am to an extent I made what I needed to deal with the weight of the drive hub removal and re install. Around here I feel that most shops anymore just have parts changers.  Very few REAL mechanics anymore.  At least doing the work myself I know it is done right and I learn something in the process.  I am smart enough to know what I don't know.  That's why I come here and ask so many questions.

Sorry for the long post and rant, but I am just one guy trying my best to make it all work and take care of my family

 

[Joey Mack]

Just keep doing what youre doing. Good mechanics are scarce..

[Geoff Weeks]

And I want you to succeed, which is why I am passing on hard learned experience.

There is tools made to slide the hub, wheels and tires off as a unit. I know one shop that does all brake jobs that way inboard or outboard. He claims it is much faster.

I kinda figured that truck wasn't your sole means of employment, but you never said, and I didn't assume.

There was a shop I used in the valley (if we are talking the SLC valley) that had no problem working on old stuff when I was out there. No idea if they are still in business. I'll see if I can find their name and number. I know they did a pinion seal that was on my '83 was gushing, and I wasn't going to drive it home over 1000 miles like that.  

United Diesel Service 1905 pioneer. Did fair work, I used them a coupla times, but that was a decade ago so things might have changed.

[RS Disposal]

52 minutes ago, Joey Mack said:

Just keep doing what youre doing. Good mechanics are scarce..

that I am finding out

[RS Disposal]

51 minutes ago, Geoff Weeks said:

And I want you to succeed, which is why I am passing on hard learned experience.

There is tools made to slide the hub, wheels and tires off as a unit. I know one shop that does all brake jobs that way inboard or outboard. He claims it is much faster.

I kinda figured that truck wasn't your sole means of employment, but you never said, and I didn't assume.

There was a shop I used in the valley (if we are talking the SLC valley) that had no problem working on old stuff when I was out there. No idea if they are still in business. I'll see if I can find their name and number. I know they did a pinion seal that was on my '83 was gushing, and I wasn't going to drive it home over 1000 miles like that.  

United Diesel Service 1905 pioneer. Did fair work, I used them a coupla times, but that was a decade ago so things might have changed.

They were one of the many I contacted about the engine work. Talked with about a dozen shops big and small. They said they would get back to me as far as sourcing parts etc. All me if they could find parts they were 6 to 8 weeks out.  Never did get a call back from anybody I talked with.  All shops I talked with even on the brake job as at least 4 weeks out.  If it's a job I can do I'm not waiting that long for something I can do in a day. I have no problem getting my hands greasy.  I just get the impression from the shops I talk to they have no interest in working on a 40+ yr old truck.  As far as the brake job I did pick up a dollie from Harbor freight and modified to to support the hub with the inner wheel still on and once I had it so that it would slide on and off straight the job was basically a piece of cake.  The only delay was I had to have the shoes relined being new shoes weren't available locally, but that only took a day. Not too many parts for my truck are available locally and unless it is just a generic parts that doesn't require a VIN number to look up, I have to go to the dealer because everybody tells me that my VIN number isn't a good number.  My older parts guy, been with Mack for 30+ yrs, there has no problem.  The newer guys need to be shown how to look up my VIN.

I do appreciate all you are passing on to me and I'm not too proud to not accept criticism and or suggestions/insight 

 

[Geoff Weeks]

Just trying to help.

In my case, I had the part numbers in hand when I called them for my Rockwell QAR rear pinion seal. Still not a slip in by 10 am and pick up the same day deal. I layed over in a motel and they came and got me.

I am all for doing it myself and most times I do, but somethings can't wait or at least shouldn't if you are talking a trip of over 1000 miles. Yes, I have come across "mechanic's " that do more harm than good. These guys did what I asked, and while not as quickly as I would like, the workmanship was acceptable.

[Geoff Weeks]

Good shops are often booked out several weeks and give preference to their local customer base, and bad shops, well why would go there. I can't remember who recommended United, it might have been the truck equipment shop that built the DOT plow trucks (whose name escapes my memory right now). 

[RS Disposal]

13 minutes ago, Geoff Weeks said:

Good shops are often booked out several weeks and give preference to their local customer base, and bad shops, well why would go there. I can't remember who recommended United, it might have been the truck equipment shop that built the DOT plow trucks (whose name escapes my memory right now). 

I totally understand that and I understand a shop not wanting a truck to take up space trying to source parts. It just would of been nice for someone to at least communicate with me rather than say they will try and then I never hear anything from them.  I understand that lack of communication was from shop management and not the mechanics themselves. When my engine was down I lost about a month waiting to hear from any one of the shops. I was just intimidated by the size of the job I was looking at and unsure about what I was looking at.  Once I got into it it was all pretty much straight forward and didn't have any problems, except time, in sourcing parts. The machine shop I had do my head work also had no problems sourcing what he needed. I was luck on the head being it wasn't cracked.  That one I wasn't able to locate, but once the machine shop informed me the head was magi fluxed (not sure on spelling) wasn't cracked and was rebuildable I stopped looking. I did find a couple of heads but they weren't maxidyne heads and from what I could find wouldn't work.