Rear Pinion Seal is seeping slightly. Will eventually need to replace it. Dropping the driveshaft doesn't look like a big deal. Is it?

Questions:

1- Is a special tool needed to seat the seal?
2-Is there a spec. for the preload? If so what is it?

Shop I use when I don't want to DIY quoted $162.50 which includes the seal that only $25. I'm thinking with the preload needing to be set just right I might be better off letting them do this job.

For those of you who have done it yourself is it a pain and best left to a Mercedes shop?

If YOUR Mercedes shop only quoted you $162.50, then you may want them to do the job. I got quotes from my closest two dealers (one hour and two hours away), and this goes back awhile so I don't remember the exact prices but both were higher, and the service advisor at the closer shop really didn't understand what he was talking about.

I did both the front and the rear myself without too much trouble, though in retrospect I would say if you can find a proper seal driver then get it. Dropping the driveshaft is not too big a problem, and to approximate the preload draw a line pointing to 12:00 on the nut before disassembly, and torque it until points to 12 again. Not the best method but pretty close. Of course with the aluminum diff carrier a gentle touch is needed to pull the old seal.

Good luck!

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Lenny

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'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)