Pinion gear bearing replace

[69rangerman]

I'm taking my axles in tomorrow to have the bearings replaced and went ahead and pulled the pinion to have a look (like I know what I'm looking for ). Should the gear turn without much effort? cause mine takes a good amount of twist to get started and has a spot where it turns smoothly and then kinda binds at one spot.

Also, if I pull the ring gear housing to replace the seal should I use the actual seal or just RTV it?

Thanks for any info.

[heep70]

What rearend you got? 9"? Sounds like the bearing got messed up when you puled the pinion shaft out. Not good.


I don't use a seal on the drop outs on my Toyota. Just sealer (oil resistant)

[69rangerman]

Thanks Heep,

Yep 9". I took the chunk in and the Napa tech gave it a twist and said that they should get looser with age not start binding - so he's gonna replace those bearings also.

First time to Napa for work...kinda cool...20ft away from the counter I'm walking up with an axle in each hand and the guy says "hmmm...bearing replacement on a ford 9..." and he starts reeling part numbers from out of his head. Nice to know that they know their stuff.


Anything I should know about putting it all back together? It all came apart pretty easily.

Should I pull the ring gear assembly also since it's the rest of it's out right now?

First time on this stuff

Thanks

[heep70]

I would leave the carrier alone unless you got some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket.

Put it back together the opposite way you took it apart. Easy money!

[69rangerman]

Got one more for ya Heep if you don't mind,

A guy at work told me that if I took the pinion out, but left the ring gear in, I would have to have everything re-set again...something about "lash" or "preload" or some such. He said to go ahead and pull the ring and take it in for them to re-set that stuff. Said it would probably howl pretty bad if I didn't. Any advice?

Thanks

[heep70]

Did you pull the carrier (the chunk that the ring is bolted to) out already from the third member? If not then a good chance it will be fine. Make sure that all the shims go back right where they were takin from.

The only thing that is being replaced is the pinion bearings right? If everything is put back the same exact way it was before, then you shouldn't have to reset the preload. Now if you take the carrier out of the third member then you need to count how many turns you had to back out the side bearing keepers (I forget what they are called). Then turn them back in the same amount.

If you have the time and cash then it wouldn't hurt to get the preload re-done. I guess if not sure its better safe then sorry.

The hardest part about building a third is getting the pinion depth right, but as long as NAPA is putting it all back the same as before then that will be already set.

We need to get 390nut involved here. It has been meny years since I messed with a 9". I know they are close to Toyota 8" and that is what I am going by. I will see if he will chime in here to make sure I am not missing anything.

[69rangerman]

Thanks Heep, I was going to pull the carrier but decided not to - so it's just the pinion/yoke chunk. Bearings are replaced. The only hiccup so far is that the machine shop super couldn't find a torque value for the pinion nut. I found a couple of tech articles online that ranged anywhere from 175 to 300! The 175 was from "the dark side" on a tutorial so that's what I told him (figured I could always go tighter on the crush collar). There's only one shim or metal gasket between the pinion case and the 3rd member which I'll put back in.

I'm going to just re-install this weekend and hope that everything is close.

Guess I'd know if it's not right? Bad noises etc?

Thanks for the help.

[390Nut]

Sorry, heep, but it's not me that knows the 9" real well. However, I will say this. Having put new bearings in, your tolerances are going to be off, because you have fresh, tight bearings replacing 35+year old, worn out bearings. Even a small difference gets big in a hurry for something like a rear differential.

Setting up the rear gears is pretty critical for long life, and if you're spending the money to get bearings replaced, you might as well get it done right. If you've got the whole pumpkin at NAPA and they are doing the work for you, they should, by all rights, set it up correctly for you.

[heep70]

Sorry, heep, but it's not me that knows the 9" real well. However, I will say this. Having put new bearings in, your tolerances are going to be off, because you have fresh, tight bearings replacing 35+year old, worn out bearings. Even a small difference gets big in a hurry for something like a rear differential.

Setting up the rear gears is pretty critical for long life, and if you're spending the money to get bearings replaced, you might as well get it done right. If you've got the whole pumpkin at NAPA and they are doing the work for you, they should, by all rights, set it up correctly for you.

YOUR FIRED

Kiddin, Sorry I bugged ya then. You have some good advice at any rate. Thanks.

[390Nut]

YOUR FIRED

Kiddin, Sorry I bugged ya then. You have some good advice at any rate. Thanks.

Ya cant fire me, I QUIT!

I think.

Shoot, I can't afford to quit.



Only reason I said to do it right the first time, is because of where I am right now. I had mine rebuilt, ALL new bearings, ALL new gears, new pinion seal, the works, to the tune of $500. (because I don't know how to do the job myself, and NEEDED it done right, at the time)

Only problem is, the guy who did the work failed to notice how worn out the yoke's seal area was (grooved, just like a balancer spacer on the crankshaft gets) and after about 100 miles it started leaking out the brand new pinion seal. I didn't notice it until I was out and about one night, and noticed the rear making noise that it shouldn't be making, and the only places open had nothing but motor oil. 20W50 works, but not very well.

Now I need a new gear set, and probably bearings as well. Again.

Do it right the first time. Which goes hand in hand with what my old man used to tell me. "A poor man can't afford second best."

[69rangerman]

Well, I've got 3 more firsts under my belt. Firt brake job, axle pull, and pinion pull and replace. Got everything back together and brakes bled last night. Went for a drive this afternoon and my oh my what a difference. Quiet, smooth, and the brakes grab right NOW!

For the record, 175lbs of torque is NOT sufficient for the bearing preload on the pinion. I went to pick it up after telling NAPA 175 and that gear was flopping all over the place. He let me go back in the shop with him and ratchet it up to 200. I think we ended up with 210 or so before all of the play was taken out.

Thanks for all the help!