Bravo one. I managed to borrow a spanner and removed the carrier assembly. I appear the inside seal failed. The rubber lost contact from the metal. Everything looks/feels fine including the yoke which is 20 years old.
After I replace the O-rings and seal do I really need to set pre-load? Everything is in one piece and has not been disturbed.

Yes, when you put the gear/bearing assy. back onto the yoke you tighten the nut to set the pre-load of the bearing pack.

I've learned to do it by "feel" but basically tighen it up until you feel a little drag on the bearings. It takes a minute to set it up but you just don't want it too loose or too tight. Be sure to clean the threads on the yoke and the nut and use red loctite puting it back together. When re-installing the carrier into the case lube up the threads with the mercury green grease and line up the +/- marks on the gears. Use a deadblow hammer to "tap" the carrier into place.

Finally got all the parts but have some questions:
+/- marks on the gears. Use a deadblow hammer to "tap" the carrier into place.
The +/- marks... I do not see anywhere on the gears



Be sure to clean the threads on the yoke and the nut and use red loctite puting it back together.

I thought this was torqued to 55 ftlb. From what you are saying this will determine the pre-load as if its a wheel bearing?

Panther
Thanks for the heads up on +/- and figured it out. While in the parts store I wanted 2 of each. Figured I'll do the other side as well. They had one of the 2 seals so they gave me a Sierra seal package. Big mistake. I start on the the other side to find out the seal is wrong. Hopefully Napa can cross over the CR number. Looks like an ordinary wheel bearing seal for something or another.

Do you have a standard or XR drive?

Anytime! I've used the Sierra seal kits numerous times and never had a problem. Maybe they gave you the wrong kit? The seal will look like a wheel bearing seal and usually has a green coating on the end of it.

There's a special tool that's used to install the new seal so it's pressed in the proper depth... If you don't install it far enough the metal part of the seal will rub up against the yoke and wear a hole thru the surface...... I know this because years ago I was trying to get a customer running for the weekend and we didn't have a yoke in stock so I installed the seal and didn't press it all the way in so that it didn't ride on the groove that was worn in the yoke.... Monday morning I get called into the office saying the drive is leaking so I pull it off and put a new yoke/seal on... I vowed to never do it again, I HATED COMEBACKS!

Just a standard B1. I noticed the recess in the seal before it came apart and installed back the same way. The Sierra kit's seals where way too tight on the yoke. It really took some effort to slip it.