Technical disassemble pinion or not?

I am replacing the carrier bearings and races on my '40 banjo rear due to wear. Is it necessary to pull the pinion out and replace the bearing and race also? Do pinion races and bearings wear out all that often? The pinion shaft spins freely without any hint of bearing issue. This would be my first banjo rebuild so I am a bit wary of messing with something that does not need it.

 

If you need carrier bearings , you need pinion bearings too.
Pinion bearings are the first to suffer from low fluid. They take at least 2x the abuse the carrier bearings do.

This guy brought this in, "something's wrong".
Then wants just a new axle. Nope, everything has had metal cycled thru it. The pinion bearings were in the worst shape.

 

Thanks for your reply I guess nobody disagrees with your advice!

 

That man speaks the truth.

 

Carrier, Pinion, Axles have all traveled the same amount of miles. No sense removing it and repairing only part in a few miles you'll be back doing the rest!

 

Ask yourself this. Is the trouble (work) involved with removing, tearing down, replacing the bearings, reinstalling everything easier/cheaper than the cost of replacing the bearing while the RE is apart the first time?

 

Thanks everyone. The plan is to tear it down completely.