I have what I believe to be a leaking pinon seal and it's leaking quite a bit now it's coming from the front of the diff were the DL goes in is that the pinon seal?
If yes I am guessing the whole rear end has to come out to be replaced?
That is your pinion seal and the whole rear end does not have to come apart to replace it. BUT the cover should come off and the backlash be checked after the new seal is in and the pinion nut is re torqued. If you back lash in now out then the correct shimming would have to be installed to correct the backlash. At this point the whole rear end will have to come apart.