I was out in some tall grass and got some rapped around the rear drive shaft, I pulled it off as soon as I saw it. I was looking at pulling the yoke off the diff but there is this really messed up looking nut holding it on the diff. I had a 35mm 6pt but that wouldn't even fit over it. I talked to a couple guys at the local shop and they haven't seen a socket for this they are going to check with another dealer and see what they can find out. I was just wondering who makes a socket or what "special tool" do I need to replace or check my rear seal. It looks like an inverted torques but it has like twelve points or so on it. My truck is an 03' and I saw the same thing on the 01' and 02' at the local shop.


Thanks Jon

pull the retainer out and it just unscrews. I use a punch and it comes right off..

Make sure you scribe a line across pinion end and nut to get it re-tightend the same amount.

oh, your talking pinion seal? SOrry, was thinking axle seal


1 1/2 12 pt for that IIRC

I know it's a BIG 12 point socket, as opposed to a BIG 6 point socket. I'm not at home right now so I can't help you on the size right now. You may need a puller to get the yoke off, and the one you want is the one with the flat plate, not a 2 or 3 armed gear puller. It's not hard to do but beating the dampener to death didnt budge anything when I did mine, hence the recommendation of the puller. Snowman was right on the money with the mark the nut and the pinion suggestion.

Thanks guys, I was able to get it done with a 12pt 1 3/8" tapped it on and it worked good, "a little bigger would of been nice but that's the biggest I had" I scribed it and measured to be carefull of that crush sleeve. As far as pulling I took a piece of stock drilled the four whole for the bolts that hold the u-joint in and drilled a whole in the middle and welded a nut on the outside and it worked pretty slick as a puller.
Thanks, Jon