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I find it easier to leave the carrier in place when replacing the rear main seal. One advantage to removing the carrier is that it makes it very easy to clean the surface that the seal rides on. Depending on how much buildup you find you might want to use lacquer thinner and a scuff pad to make sure the surface is spotless.
Make a mental note of just how far the seal is driven in the carrier.
The following is how I do it with the carrier in place, but much of the procedure is similiar.
No matter how you do it be sure not to allow the end of the crankshaft to hang up on the lip of the seal. If the lip hangs up and you continue to push the seal forward you can cause the spring to come unseated. If the spring is not in position you lose tension and it will leak.
Grease the crank surface and the contact area of the seal liberally. I use white lithium. Angle the seal slightly to get the lip started correctly. Apply enough pressure to the side that is started to be able to clear the end of the crank with the remaining portion of the seal lip.
I use a hammer to tap the seal around the edge to get it started. It will want to start on just a little crooked but that is not a problem. Once it is started in and truly being gripped by the carrier, spend a little time and effort to apply a little more force on those areas that need to be tapped in further to "catch up".
You can probably be successful by using only a hammer to tap the seal into place. The seal will not be below the edge of the carrier, but it is a good idea to allow the seal to ride on a "virgin" area of the crankshaft. That mental note of how far the seal was driven in before will guide you in the placement of the new seal.
If you want the seal to be deeper than the hammer will allow you to place it you need to have some tool that will not contact either the carrier or the seal to drive it in. Be careful of your choice. You do not want to use something that contacts just a small area of the seal. The metal shoulder of the seal is not very thick and is easily bent- which results in a ruined seal and you get to start over with a new seal.
A good way to make a tool for driving in the rear main seal is to get a piece of 4" PVC pipe about 6 inches long. While the diameter is too large for using a complete piece you can cut a piece out that will give you a footprint about two inches along the radius. That will allow the end of the piece to clear the carrier and the crankshaft which will distribute the load over a large surface of the seal. Just make sure the end of the piece is square and that when you strike it with the hammer you have it flat on the seal.
Good luck.
Randy
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