willysmjeeps.com

So i picked up a Felpro 3165 rope seal for the rear main oil seal.
The crank diameter that mates with the seal is 2.300" dia. Should I be just placing rope(after soaking in oil) onto the position and use a 2.3" dia. shaft and keep smacking it in? It seems like the seal is a very large dia. and wonder if i should be flattening it out a bit to fit inside the groove a bit better before trying to seat the seal. Should same procedure be applied to opposite(cap) side as well?
The engine had a Victor lip seal in there when i removed the crank. Unsure if it sealed well or not, just figured i would change the seal now instead of regretting it after engine was installed. And since the seal that was in there has so much negative feedback, maybe its a good thing I plan to change it.
Thanks
Brad

TM 9-1804A assumes everyone using it is an experienced jeep mechanic. It doesn't offer a lot of detail. It helps to use it in conjunction with the civilian manual SM-1002. Here's the two pages of info in this book!

Thanks Wes.i have read both manuals before posring but any install videos i have watched shows a long process of squishing the seal with a piece theproper diameter, checking fit, smashing seal further, testing again. And some speak of the foot pounds needed to turn crank when seal is properly installed.
Any of this relevent or do i just smash in the seal and call it done, tighten up the cap to spec(whatever that is) and move on?

You can overthink an issue or just "Git er done". The civvy manual directs you to gently roll the seal into the groove. If you use something the same diameter as the crank journal you cannot roll anything in, you can only hammer it in while not seeing the result of your hammering it wouldn't take long to tear several seals. The smaller diameter rod allows you to see what you are doing while you are doing it.