Pinion Shim Value

[AlgUSF]

So, here are the etchings on my old pinion:

Here are the etchings on my new pinion:

As I understand it, these are both zero pinions and use the same shim as factory and it is behind the bearing race. @chevymitchell

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[azwjowner]

As someone who recently went through this, you are correct -- they are both 0 pinions, so try the same shim thickness to start.

PS: Make sure you get the pinion races fully driven into the housing. 95% of my regear from hell was caused because my bearing/race driver was just smaller than the opening in the housing, but not small enough and so the race didn't fully seat by a matter of thousandths of an inch, just on one side. Next go around I used the old pinion race to finish hammering in the new one, to be sure I was getting it seated all the way.

 

[AlgUSF]

As someone who recently went through this, you are correct -- they are both 0 pinions, so try the same shim thickness to start.

PS: Make sure you get the pinion races fully driven into the housing. 95% of my regear from hell was caused because my bearing/race driver was just smaller than the opening in the housing, but not small enough and so the race didn't fully seat by a matter of thousandths of an inch, just on one side. Next go around I used the old pinion race to finish hammering in the new one, to be sure I was getting it seated all the way.

Thanks for the insight. My plan is to do the rear axle, pull my driveshaft to the front and heat cycle the new gears and drive it around for a week or so before doing the front. Then find a nice dirt road to heat cycle the front gears after install. I don't plan on going wheeling for a few months till the weather gets nicer.

 

[chevymitchell]

So, here are the etchings on my old pinion:

Here are the etchings on my new pinion:

As I understand it, these are both zero pinions and use the same shim as factory and it is behind the bearing race. @chevymitchell

As mentioned, you are correct, good Sir.

 

[AlgUSF]

How do I torque down that ring gear, do I need to do it inside the diff housing?

Hate to bug you again @chevymitchell?

 

[azwjowner]

How do I torque down that ring gear, do I need to do it inside the diff housing?

Hate to bug you again @chevymitchell?

Best answer is a vise that's large enough. You need to find a flat area on your carrier that you can clamp to, otherwise it'll rotate on you and you'll start rounding off bolt heads (don't ask me how I know).

I tried doing it in the diff and it didn't work well for me. Some people make it work.

If you have a locker that you can engage, you can bolt a tire to an axle and stand on the tire on the floor, and the locker will prevent the carrier from turning.

 

[AlgUSF]

Best answer is a vise that's large enough. You need to find a flat area on your carrier that you can clamp to, otherwise it'll rotate on you and you'll start rounding off bolt heads (don't ask me how I know).

I tried doing it in the diff and it didn't work well for me. Some people make it work.

If you have a locker that you can engage, you can bolt a tire to an axle and stand on the tire on the floor, and the locker will prevent the carrier from turning.

Yeah, it's a truetrac so there is nothing to clamp to. I thought of a big azz vise with rubber pads, but 135 lb-ft is a lot. I'm sure most shops are like "135lb-ft, sounds like 6-7 duggas", dugga-dugga-dugga.....

 

[azwjowner]

Yeah, it's a truetrac so there is nothing to clamp to. I thought of a big azz vise with rubber pads, but 135 lb-ft is a lot. I'm sure most shops are like "135lb-ft, sounds like 6-7 duggas", dugga-dugga-dugga.....

I also installed a Truetrac. At first i tried to clamp on the round area and it was a disaster. Tried the rubber pads on the vise and all. No good.

Look at the end of the Truetrac opposite where the ring gear goes. You'll see a thin metal plate ,(maybe 3/8") that has square edges on two opposing sides. You can clamp your vise on that plate and it'll hold. That's what I did. Just clamp that really tight.

 

[grimmjeeper]

When my buddy and I do it, we use soft pads in a vice. One of us holds the diff while the other torques. It helps to have the torque wrench going across the center of the diff. If it's outside the diff, it will make it harder to hold.

Dana 80 ring gear bolts are the worst. 175 ft-lbs is rough.

 

[AlgUSF]

Maybe a shallow

I also installed a Truetrac. At first i tried to clamp on the round area and it was a disaster. Tried the rubber pads on the vise and all. No good.

Look at the end of the Truetrac opposite where the ring gear goes. You'll see a thin metal plate ,(maybe 3/8") that has square edges on two opposing sides. You can clamp your vise on that plate and it'll hold. That's what I did. Just clamp that really tight.

Are you talking here?

 

[azwjowner]

Maybe a shallow


Are you talking here?

Yes.

 

[AlgUSF]

I also installed a Truetrac. At first i tried to clamp on the round area and it was a disaster. Tried the rubber pads on the vise and all. No good.

Look at the end of the Truetrac opposite where the ring gear goes. You'll see a thin metal plate ,(maybe 3/8") that has square edges on two opposing sides. You can clamp your vise on that plate and it'll hold. That's what I did. Just clamp that really tight.

This worked! It was a real effort to keep it down in the vise, I was holding it down while my neighbor leaned into my big Tq wrench. Now I know why they don't have you reuse the bolts as once you lean into it that hard, it's one and done. Tried the tire and axle trick solo and used the factory yellow loctite, so it has red on it now.

 

[azwjowner]

This worked! It was a real effort to keep it down in the vise, I was holding it down while my neighbor leaned into my big Tq wrench. Now I know why they don't have you reuse the bolts as once you lean into it that hard, it's one and done. Tried the tire and axle trick solo and used the factory yellow loctite, so it has red on it now.

Glad to hear it. Two people certainly make things easier.

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