Will I destroy my differential...

[transcendtient]

I changed my rear differential pinion seal using these steps...
1) Marked the pinion bolt and nut with a crayon
2) Counted number of revolutions when backing the nut off
3) Marked the point where the nut came off with the previous mark
4) Pulled the yoke and seal
5) Cleaned both and rubbed both down with new diff fluid
6) Replaced yoke and tapped on an inch
7) Started pinion nut where the mark was and counted revolutions
8) Backed nut off a hair and reinstalled drive shaft

Just wanted to know if I'm going to end up clicking gears or broken down in another state. I didn't have the tools to check the preload of the bearing and from what I read you have to pull the axles. I was hoping this wasn't a $5 repair that'll end up a $450 diferential replacement.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

well im sorry to say you did a bad thing when you backed the nut off.

first off let me say this method is WRONG, but you can make it work. the proper way to do this is to take the crush sleeve out and replace it.. and of course set up proper bearing preload, but that take a couple more hours of work.

having not replaced the crush sleeve what people do in this situation is reinstall the nut to the original position and go about a 1/8 to 1/4 turn MORE.

right now your pinion bearing might not have enough preload and might wobble. not good.

i suggest you get under the truck and grab the driveshaft/axle flange and shake it hard in all directions, so if it moves around you need to tighten the nut more until in doesn't have slop

 

[transcendtient]

No play that I can tell. I pushed hard vertical and horizontal. I heard the crush sleeve is hard to install, and I'm not very seasoned mechanic. The hair I backed the nut off was just that, a hair... if that. I read that its better to have it a hair looser than too tight if you're not replacing the sleeve seeing as the bearing fails faster if its too tight.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

nope too loose is just as bad as too tight, but i'd rather be a little too tight than too loose.

crush sleeves are very easy to change. you just pull that bearing out and behind it sits the crush sleeve. the problem is that you also have to remove both axle and the ring gear to tighten it until you have the proper rolling resistance measured in inch/lbs, then if you go to tight.. new crush sleeve and try again.


but anyways if you have no play in the bearing you are good to go

 

[transcendtient]

Awesome, only play is twisting. So I could drop the shaft and tighten it maybe a 1/8 turn and be super good good eh? Or just leave it?

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

nope, thats normal.

its backlash in between the gears and its supposed to be there

if it was me i'd leave it as is.

 

[transcendtient]

Thank you very much, you seem very knowledgeable . Maybe next time I'll go all the way for the seal and pull the axles and gears and won't have to pay anyone to rebuild my diff anymore.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

It takes over 260 ft lbs to crush a crush sleeve, so its pretty hard to over tighten it.

 

[transcendtient]

I also wanted to know about what type of diff I have. I'm pretty sure I have a non-limited slip rear end, but I don't know how to find out. I bought the 4x4 because I used to have a Ram 1500 2wd and have been stuck at least ten times on job sites. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if it is a non-limited slip I really only have a 2wd w/ power at the driver front and passenger rear. I talked to one of my buddies at work and he told me about replacing the spider gears with lockers so the power is constantly on both rear wheels, but this is a daily driver and I don't want to eat my wheels with scrub. Should I save up and buy a limited slip rear or look into changing the gears?

 

[koda6966]

Look on your door tag, it should have a letter and a number or two numbers.

Then check the axle section in the technical library to find your axle.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

It takes over 260 ft lbs to crush a crush sleeve, so its pretty hard to over tighten it.

jesus ****ing christ..... the POINT of a crush sleeve is for bearing PRE-LOAD. once it gets deformed by over tightening it will never go back. kind of like when you way overfill a tire

 

[triumphrider-1]

The power will be transmitted throughout to each axle; its just when one of the tires looses traction, that tire gets all of the power for that axle. So up until that point it will still be four wheel drive.

Others on here have more experience with aftermarket lockers than I do; but you could put in something like a detroit locker. It stays open until one of the wheels slips then locks in making both wheels spin together.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

jesus ****ing christ..... the POINT of a crush sleeve is for bearing PRE-LOAD. once it gets deformed by over tightening it will never go back. kind of like when you way overfill a tire

Marking the nut, removing it and replacing a pinion seal, then reinstalling the nut is common practice. I guess the 16 Ford trained technicians I work with (myself included) are all wrong then? It can be done that way without any ill effects. Don't leave it loose, and don't overtighten it enough to crush the sleeve anymore and you will be fine.


And a Detroit locker is fully locked anytime there is power applied to it. When you are off the throttle (coasting through a turn) it unlocks and allows the tires to spin a different speeds)

What you are describing sounds more like a GM Gov Loc ( AKA Grenade Lock)

 

[transcendtient]

The door tag just says 86, and I can't find where that is in the axle guide

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Door code 86:

86
open 7.5" 3.73 gears