Anyone happen to know what size socket to use to remove the nut holding the yoke in place on a 9 bolt rear? Is a 1/2 breaker bar going to do the trick, or are these torqued down with an ungodly amount of force?

Trying to remove the gears and posi to sell to someone from this board, so thanks for any help.

Dave

 

The nut is usually either 1-1/16" or 1-1/8". Can't remember which for sure. You should be able to break it loose with a 1/2" breaker bar as long as you have a big pipe wrench or something similar to hold the yoke still while you break it loose. Of course the easiest way to break them loose is with a 1/2" impact gun. You don't even have to really hold the yoke still when you use an impact. I've had some pinion nuts be really tight, while others were damn near just finger tight, so you never really know how tight it's going to be until you try to undo it.

 

1¼", actually.

If you don't have air, make yourself a pinion holding tool. Use a piece of about ¼" x 1½" x about 4' strip stock from Home Depot or something; drill 2 holes along the edge that allow you to bolt it to one of the ears of the yoke by 2 of the U-joint bolts. Then use the the long breaker bar and socket on the nut.

You'll almost certainly have to use a good bit of force to get the pinion to come loose out of the tail bearing. DO NOT hammer directly on the threaded end of the gear!!! Use a brass drift or a sturdy piece of wood or something. Otherwise you will mushroom the threads, and a nut will never be able to go back on it again.

 

Ok, thank you both, I will report back with my success or failure.