I am replacing my 2.77:1 gears with 3.73:1. I purchased a Summit Racing ring and pinion and installation kit. I removed the shims behind the pinion gear (between gear and head bearing) and they measured .030". I decided to install .030" worth of new shims behind the new head bearing and 3.73 pinion for starters. I replaced the cups for both bearings and a new crush collar. All parts went back in the order which I found them and I verified the assembly against my Chiltons exploded diagram. I have .007" gear lash and a textbook contact pattern as indicated with gear paint.
The instructions said that with new bearings, you should tighten the pinion nut to 125'/lbs, check preload by using an inch/lb torque wrench on the pinion nut and increase torque in 10'/lb increments untill the preload is measured as 25"/lbs on the pinion nut (for new bearings). My Chiltons gives 140"/lbs for drag on a complete assembly after replacing simply the input oil seal.
Problem is this: As I torqued the nut, I frequently checked the endplay on the pinion shaft. Just when the play was totally taken up, the pinion nut felt as though the companion flange bottomed out on the splines. The nut stopped turning and even with a large breaker bar and as much torque as you dare put on the nut, the pinion has NO MEASURABLE pre-load. You can turn it easily with 2 fingers, even after the entire assembly was installed including axles.
Has anyone in the know run into this?
The only fix I can think of is a thicker pinion shaft oil slinger ( the thin washer behind the seal and before the bearing). If I'm correct that the splines have bottomed out, this (thicker oil slinger, or stack of them) would hold the companion flange out from the end of the splines and allow the bearings to preload. Am I on the right track? Is this a common problem???
Jerry
The instructions said that with new bearings, you should tighten the pinion nut to 125'/lbs, check preload by using an inch/lb torque wrench on the pinion nut and increase torque in 10'/lb increments untill the preload is measured as 25"/lbs on the pinion nut (for new bearings). My Chiltons gives 140"/lbs for drag on a complete assembly after replacing simply the input oil seal.
Problem is this: As I torqued the nut, I frequently checked the endplay on the pinion shaft. Just when the play was totally taken up, the pinion nut felt as though the companion flange bottomed out on the splines. The nut stopped turning and even with a large breaker bar and as much torque as you dare put on the nut, the pinion has NO MEASURABLE pre-load. You can turn it easily with 2 fingers, even after the entire assembly was installed including axles.
Has anyone in the know run into this?
The only fix I can think of is a thicker pinion shaft oil slinger ( the thin washer behind the seal and before the bearing). If I'm correct that the splines have bottomed out, this (thicker oil slinger, or stack of them) would hold the companion flange out from the end of the splines and allow the bearings to preload. Am I on the right track? Is this a common problem???
Jerry
