In a message dated 8/23/03 6:04:54 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I'm having some trouble coming up with tools and supplies to do this job. Nobody has an inch/pound torque wrench or a dial indicator around here. I got the pinion seal and a new universal joint (since the drive shaft is down anyway), but nobody seems to have the rear cover gasket. Pep Boys says there are 7 in Indiana and 13 in Texas. That seems kind of strange because I didn't think 12 bolt rears were that rare.....Steve
Ya'll are making this WAY too complicated. You won't need the torque wrench, because the turning torque spec is only good if the axles and ring gear are out of the car. The deal with the marks on the pinion & nut is the way to go. What you are trying to do is to not crush the sleeve any more. The sleeve is what sets the pinion bearing preload. It has nothing to do with pinion height or backlash, both of which are determined by the shim pack. Put it back together, tighten the nut to the mark you made on the pinion or just a tiny bit past it, and go. If you have pinion bearing problems, they'll show up later & there's not a whole lot that you can do about it without the special tools. You can either replace the yoke, buy a deal called a "Speedy sleeve" that you press over the worn part of the yoke, or fill the groove with JB weld, let it dry & sand it down. Silicone on the rear cover is a good fix as long as you make sure that the cover & housing are clean & dry, as with brake cleaner or thinner. RTV won't stick to gear lube.
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