Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1950 dodge pinion seal, 1950 dodge coronet, propane torch

Question
Hello my 1950 dodge coronet has a leaking pinion seal on the rear axle. After i removed the drive shaft and the cotter pin from the retaining nut and blocking the wheels the nut will not come off. I even took a propane torch and heated it is the thread on the shaft reverse thread meaning right loose not left loose
thanks

Answer
It should be a right hand thread but it was torqued to 150 plus foot pounds. As such it need a long breaker bar and the wheels firmly held from turning. Back in the day we were known to use a floor jack under the end of a pipe over the breaker bar to get enough force to break the pinion nut loose. Before you remove the nut use a center punch to mark the nut and the end of the pinion shaft for alignment. Then count the number of turns removing the nut. After replacing the seal thread the nut on the same number of turns and until the center punch marks line up. That way you will not have change the pinion setting and pre-load.