Late model pinion flange/special Ford tools questions

[jimmyess333]

Hello all
I have an 07 2WD Ranger with the 7.5 rear and I'm preparing to replace a leaking pinion seal.
Although I haven't worked on one of these rears before I've been pretty successful in the past working on my own vehicles by taking my time and carefully following service manual procedures.
Over time and by experience I've learned that sometimes there are easier ways than what the manual says and sometimes it's a big mistake to deviate from what the manual says.
That brings me to my present job.
The manual lists 3 "special Ford tools" that I don't have, and the price of the tools alone are more than what a shop wants to do the job.

Pinion flange installer 205-002 $100
I'm not sure why I need this one if I can just tighten the flange nut to press on the flange.
Is the force required so great that is messes something up or does something bad to the crush spacer?
Maybe you can't get the nut on until the flange is pressed on first?
Is the spacing of the flange before torqueing the nut THAT important?
Is this a completely unnecesary tool that just costs a lot to discourage one from attempting the job themselves?

Flange holder 205-126 $110
Looks like something you can make for $5 but I can see how you would need SOMETHING to rotate the flange while checking for drag on the bearing.
Is there an alternate method like just torqueing the nut to a certain spec?
If I can just torque the nut why can't I just put the truck on the ground with the emergency brake on and the wheels chocked to hold it?

Seal installer 205-208 $92.09
I'm sure I can do the job without this one and at that price they should be ashamed.
A piece thick piece of wood with a hole in it, another piece of wood over that, and a hammer have always worked in the past.
Just make the hole in the wood the same size as the hole in the seal and keep it centered and level while you hit.

I've always found that going to the mechanic is admission of defeat and I'd still like to win this one if I can.
I'd like some input from people who have already done this job.
Are these tools even needed?

 

[4x4junkie]

You will need something to hold the flange from turning while you tighten the nut, but the other stuff isn't absolutely needed.

What you will want to do though is very precisely mark the pinion nut, pinion shaft, and flange itself so that you can reinstall everything EXACTLY like it was, otherwise your pinion bearing preload will get messed up (leading to burnt pinion bearings and/or chipped gear teeth).

Take the nut off, pull the flange, replace the seal, then put it all back together like it was. Be sure to thoroughly clean the threads off and use some Loctite on it too, it may not stay tight if you don't (ideally you are supposed to use a new nut any time you remove it).

Hope that helps.

 

[jimmyess333]

You will need something to hold the flange from turning while you tighten the nut, but the other stuff isn't absolutely needed.

What you will want to do though is very precisely mark the pinion nut, pinion shaft, and flange itself so that you can reinstall everything EXACTLY like it was, otherwise your pinion bearing preload will get messed up (leading to burnt pinion bearings and/or chipped gear teeth).

Take the nut off, pull the flange, replace the seal, then put it all back together like it was. Be sure to thoroughly clean the threads off and use some Loctite on it too, it may not stay tight if you don't (ideally you are supposed to use a new nut any time you remove it).

Hope that helps.

Gothcha on marking the pinion, flange, and nut
Ok, so if I mark the nut before removal and count the turns that should take care of how tight to put it back?
If I use a new nut is there a torque spec I can use?
Is that blue threadlocker or stronger?

 

[yyc_tbird_sc]

Get a new nut...they're only a couple bucks. Use the old nut to put the flange on, take off the old nut, and torque the new nut to the proper spec for old bearings...I'm pretty sure that it's 8-14 INCH/POUNDS when trying to rotate the pinion.

All I've ever used for a flange holder, is a good punch put through one of the unused holes and against the web on the pinion snout of the diff. Never had a problem.

 

[jimmyess333]

Get a new nut...they're only a couple bucks. Use the old nut to put the flange on, take off the old nut, and torque the new nut to the proper spec for old bearings...I'm pretty sure that it's 8-14 INCH/POUNDS when trying to rotate the pinion.

All I've ever used for a flange holder, is a good punch put through one of the unused holes and against the web on the pinion snout of the diff. Never had a problem.

That's good stuff.
I have some good punches and I just bought an inch/pound torque wrench to go with my regular one.
Thanks a bunch!

I'll pass a dealer today so I'll stop in and get the nut.

 

[jimmyess333]

I looked at my inch/pound torque wrench and it doesn't go below 40 inch pounds
I've only worked with a foot pounds torque wrench before purchasing this new one.
Do some inch/pound wrenched go down to 0?

 

[yyc_tbird_sc]

I'm guessing that you have a 3/8" torque wrench. I've got and gotten a 1/4" torque wrench. I've never really used it except to teach a buddy how much torque it really takes to tighten wheel bearing nuts and to set pinion bearing drag. It takes a light touch as it doesn't take much to click a torque wrench at only 8-11 inch/pounds.

Don't use thread locker on the new nut, it already comes with compound on it.

 

[mini274]

last time i did a 7.5 rear it was 12 inchpounds and i used the handy dandy needle torque wrench where it has 0 in the center and a needle that shows you how many inch/pounds you were tossin at it that moves left and right i use it too take the nuts off to just to see how much it was from the factory i think auto zone has them as rentals if im not mistaken but hey ive been wrong before... and your final torque on the nut has to be with the yolk spinning freely but you prob already know that

 

[jimmyess333]

I got my hands on the Ford factory workshop manual for 2007 and it says "pinion bearing preload 16-29 inch pounds"
That's for the 7.5 rear like I have.
Maybe the spec has changed(gone up) over the years?

 

[4x4junkie]

That's if you have brand new bearings.

With used bearings that already have highly polished surfaces, 8-14 in-lbs is best.
And yes, a beam-type torque wrench is best used for this.

 

[jimmyess333]

That's if you have brand new bearings.

With used bearings that already have highly polished surfaces, 8-14 in-lbs is best.
And yes, a beam-type torque wrench is best used for this.

My clicker torque wrench only goes down to 40 inch pounds so I will need to get another one for this job.
I've only seen the beam type torque wrenches that read foot pounds...who makes a beam torque wrench that reads inch pounds AND goes down that low?

Update: found one and ordered it!

 

[jimmyess333]

Still waiting for the tool to arrive...

 

[jimmyess333]

I just figured I'd update this thread after realizing I never got back to it.
The torque wrench arrived but I ended up not using it
Instead, I marked the pinion nut, pinion stud, and flange at 6 o'clock with white out so I could put everything back the same in relationship to each other.
Then I put a rachet to the nut and marked the socket at 6 o'clock as well so I could count the revolutions to remove the nut (17 on mine).
I wrote the number on the axle tube so I wouldn't forget.
I used the same nut with blue loctite and everything seems to be ok a month and 2,000 miles later.
I also changed the axle seals at the same time which I was more comfortable with even though it was more work.

 

[dangerranger83]

I think when my dad did this on my truck (was his at the time) he over tightened the pinion nut cuz my pinion has no play of anykind.

 

[4x4junkie]

No, that sounds correct.
There should NEVER be any play whatsoever in the pinion, which is why it's important to have the proper bearing preload on it.

Not enough preload = looseness in the pinion causing improper gear mesh
Too much preload = burnt up pinion bearings.