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yeah, 53 and part of 54 have a different pinion seal than most other years. Just ordered from Max. Anybody in Germany or europe with a 48-52 looking for a seal?
Can somebody tell me which year this seal fits? The number is National -5856, and it is 3.5 inch od, and looks to be 1.5 inch ID.

Also, another question. I have leather replacement seals for the front wheel bearings. (Chicago Rawhiders) should I soak them overnight in oil before installing like I would with the pinion seal?
Thanks guys.

Yes, soak them in oil before installing. Overnight is good, but a couple of hours will work.

(o{}o)

Thanks JW, I soaked them overnight and put them in this morning. Cleaned out the drums well, and cleaned out the wheel bearings, then re greased and drove in the seals. Front wheels are on, and the chassis is sitting on four wheels!!! Yeah!!!
I actually did the 20 FtLbs and back off one castellation on the wheel bearing, and it felt pretty good. (Like I had always tightened wheel bearings before by hand/feel) Anyway, drums, wheels and hub caps on, and off the jack stands she went!
Ran the fuel line from the engine to the back, but left the back to finish when the body and tank are there...Here is a pic of the rear drums before I put them on...there is a pretty good groove on the surface that seals to the outter seal, which is not really such an important surface to seal since the inner seal keeps the oil in the rear axle. What do you guys think? Leave it, or put a sleeve on there?
I also sprayed the frame from above and the sides with an undercoating 'wax' that stays plyable and should prevent any water from getting into little crevices in the frame....Sad to put that stuff over my nicely painted frame, but it should be another layer of protection.
Need to paint the firewall, and then I can drop the body onto the frame!

pics
The wheels will some day get blasted and powdercoated...untill then I have dirty wheels on my old frame. Had to put the hubcaps on for some bling!

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That is a nasty looking groove in the rear brake drum. You can repair this with a sleeve. It is basically a thin wall steel sleeve that is driven over the worn part to provide a new sealing surface. I used the ones made by Timken. They came with their own installation tool. There is another major manufacturer of bearings who makes them too whose name I cannot recall. They are marketed as Speedi Sleeve and Redi Sleeve. Here are some photos of the ones I used on my 47 Custom Clipper. You may need a different sleeve. The sleeves I used were just a bit too wide and I dressed them down to fit. You will need to provide the diameter and width or take you drum to the parts supplier so they can measure. They are quick and easy to install and provide the outer rear axle seal with a brand new surface.

(o{}o)

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Hi
Mike . Looks god . If yours is Finish . My patrician is soon next to yours .
You Must Take 6 Weeks Holiday to do Mine then . He he

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Take a number and wait my friend! My Clipper is first inline, but we should get your Pat going soon.

Got the new pinion seal installed, and the drive shaft in, as well as the exhaust hanger that goes from the bellhousing to header pipe.
Clutch mechanism also installed with new cork gaskets (MBM-made by mike) but now I am kind of stuck on the shifter linkage.

Is the connection to the bellhouse in the proper orientation, or is this upside down? I have about 3/4 inch space between where the shifter linkage mounts to the frame rail. -Red circle and arrows-
I couldn't find a plate for this in the parts list...

Also, when I put the trans in any gear, the car does not roll backwards. The lockout cable is not on the trans yet...This is my first OD, and my book from randy rundle is still in the mail. When the shifter forks are all in the neutral position, the chassis rolls back and forth no problem.

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The car should never roll backward in any gear. It should roll forward in any forward gear unless the lockout lever is moved forward.

OK, wow. I didn't know that that was the normal function of the OD. Like I said, I am still learning how this thing works. For me it is a crazy world of mixed up manual and automatic transmissions with normal gears and a planetary gearset....I will check the position of the lockout lever and see how things roll. Thanks Ross.
Any comments on the position of my shift levers?