Whats the trick to getting the yoke off of the pinion when everything is still in the car?

 

You could tap it with a solid hammer or use a pry bar and gently pry at equal loads on all 4 corners.

 

You can use a 3-arm puller just like the pulley on the front to draw it off

JR

 

You may want to remove that big pinion nut first. :d

 

Mark the nut with a scribe mark of some sort ,
so you can put it back where it was.
You should recheck the turning torque on it after at least though.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Thats the way the dealership replaced the pinion seals on both my 98 and my 01. The 98 lunched the pinion bearings within 400 miles, the 01 destroyed the whole rearend within 50 miles.

I dont recommend that method.

 

*sigh* I guess I can remove the carrier.

 

Those guy's must be real good

 

DO you have a pinion preload wrench? If so take off your wheels after you change your seal put the yoke back on then the washer & nut, use lock tite red on the treads of the nut and get it snug so there is no in and out play on the pinion the check with resistence with the pinion tool then tighten till you have about 20 more inch pounds then when you just had the nut snug. This is still not the best way to do this job but it's the most accurate way besides droping your carrier and setting preload. Good luck