Any tips on getting (stuck) rear main seal housing off crankshaft?

once again I find myself relying on the comprehensive knowledge (and kindness!) of the fine peeps here at TacomaWorld. I've searched and searched, fruitlessly, for an answer to the question: how to remove the rear main seal housing from the crankshaft.? It seems to be stuck and I do not want to break it by prying on it unwisely. ( there's a skinny little protrusion of the casting, one per side, that appear almost ideal- except when I say 'skinny', I mean 'skinny' -enough to make me afraid they'd break if used as a leverage base).
Tranny is separated from engine (tho it's still under the truck and in my way) so leaving the housing 'In situ' isn't going to work -not enough space to work around it. ALSO I need to change the freeze *expansion* plug at the back of the block.
huh. Guess my question SHOULD have asked for tips on getting the tranny out from under the truck......
many thanks for any help here, I'm in a time crunch now so every little bit helps.

 

Should be able to unbolt it right. Gonna look this up.

edit:if you don't want to remove it you can follow this video and use the same tool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw40zyjMmv4

 

You don't have to unbolt the retainer. I did this job a couple days ago and I had to use a special shaft seal Remover - didn't work very well so I just went in there with a small pry bar.

You will have to destroy the seal to get it out, don't worry. It won't damage anything.

 

I actually just use a screw and some pliers to pull it out. Just make sure you don't scar the mating surface.

 

hey guys thanks for the replies. I am _petrified_ that I'll screw up the mating surface/crankshaft. I have _maybe _ a tad over 4" clearance between tranny and block. Is that going to be enough space to both remove the old seal and effectively install the new one?

 

OP as to your question, no, you are going to need more room to line it up and tap it into place. You dont want to warp it trying to get it installed.

fwiw... on the inside of the seal there is a small spring that goes around the lip of the seal... put some grease on it before you install it. I have seen where hammer mechanics hit the seal so hard that they pop the spring off. Now you have to do the job twice. Little taps with a plastic hammer does the trick.

 

@Glamisman -thanks for answering. I was afraid of that; there's just not a whole lot of room to maneuver in there. Certainly not enough room to swing a hammer, even a little one. Damn. Gonna have to figure something out.....

 

@tony2018 -thanks for the link. I watched that video weeks ago before getting this far into this-guy cracks me up @ .10 "....hate this f___ing thing..." haha sounds just like me. Made me feel more 'normal' 'cause I'm not the only one cursing to myself. Or cursing the vehicle.

 

The mating surface isn't made of glass just as long as you don't purposely try to damage it you'll be fine. Pry on the inner seal and avoid trying to mar the lower mating surface.

Go to a hardware store and buy a 3" black pipe flange (or bring your new seal and find one that fits inside the diameter of the seal) and use that along with a mallet to drive it in.

 

excellent advice, Bartmaster1234, thank you. Wish me luck.

 

Why don't you have enough room to swing a hammer? Did you drop your transmission? I had a pipe flange, but I ended up using a small piece of 2x4 to use a hammer on to tap it into place.

If you didn't drop your transmission and don't want to completely drop it, you can maybe support it with a couple good ratchet straps and / or a floor jack out of the way while you're working.

 

@ Dallandser: I'm not sure about PreRunner configuration but the transmission extension shaft support mount on my truck is on a welded one-piece crossmember as opposed to the removable bolted crossmembers that, AFAIK, the 4x Tacomas like mine came with. (mine is 2wd auto 2RZ-FE). As it is, it lacks about four more inches in any of three directions to get it out of the way.
Tranny is 'dropped', sitting on a tranny jack, still under the truck. . Lord I WISH I could get it outta there....I would never have needed to start this thread 'cause it would be _done_ by now. If there was adequate clearance for me to better see what I'm doing I don't think I'd feel so paranoid about fubar-ing this part of the project.

 

When I did mine my truck was jacked up high enough to sit criss cross on the floor. I used 6 ton jack stands up front for the high clearance, and 3 ton jack stands in the rear under the differential. It was high enough for me to slide the A340F under there on a transmission jack, it almost cleared the transfer case shifter flange but just barely so I had to jack the frame up a little to get it through. Since you're a PreRunner (I think?) you won't have to worry about the transfer case so it'll be easier for you.

Use tons of jack stands, I think I have about six holding up the truck.

 

@ BartMaster1234: got pics?

 

currently:

 

Sound advice for lifting the truck, I'll def need this info later.

 

Got it. It would make it a lot easier to get it out of the way.

 

@ BartMaster1234: lol damn you're fast! I just now noticed that you quoted from post #12- _before_ I got it edited-which I did within 2 minutes! nope, mine is not a PreRunner- it's a 2wd auto 2RZ-FE 'extra cab base model'.

 

@ Dallandser: all too true, like I said, I'd be done by now.

 

Can you disconnect the driveshaft (which I'm sure you already did) and shove the tranny further back or lift one side / end of the truck enough to get the transmission out from under it?