10-bolt blues - help - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

plasmeh · 08-20-2009, 08:12 AM

I lost a tooth on the pinion gear last week and decided to replace the ring and pinion. The old gears were 3.73, I'm replacing with the same thing, 3.73. However, I cannot for the life of me get the pinion to seat all the way into the carrier. I pressed on a new inner bearing, bought a new crush sleeve, slid it in and used the pinion nut and yoke to tighten it in, however it still moves back to front about 1/8 - 1/4 inch and the nut absolutely will not tighten any more. Any suggestions on where to go from here? This is the only thing preventing me from reassembly... I hate 10 bolts!

plasmeh · 08-20-2009, 08:53 AM

Perhaps I could use the weight of the car against itself? Raise the car up higher, then use a jack to turn the breaker bar, using the weight of the car.

I assume the problem I have is that I am trying to crush the crush sleeve, and it's just a pain in the nuts?

big gear head · 08-20-2009, 10:00 AM

It takes about 300 foot pounds of torque to crush the spacer. I have a 4:1 torque multiplier that I use when I do the job under a car. I use about a 3 foot long cheater bar on a 3/4 drive breaker bar when doing one out of the car.

plasmeh · 08-20-2009, 10:04 AM

But that last 1/8" of wiggle front to back of the pinion is due to the sleeve, correct?

big gear head · 08-20-2009, 10:05 AM

Yes, you need to crush the spacer to preload the bearings. Be very careful when you do this. It is extremely easy to go too far. If you do then you need to get a new spacer and try again.

plasmeh · 08-20-2009, 10:06 AM

Thanks for confirming that, I'll give my method a try this evening and post back with results.

plasmeh · 08-20-2009, 10:22 PM

Tightened it down using the car's weight on itself. Held the yoke with a large C-clamp (small one was bending) pressed against the torque arm. Worked well. Thanks.