Drive Pinion Inner Bearing Installation

Procedure





1. Install the correct pinion shim (1) to the differential housing (2).





2. Install the inner bearing race to the housing, if removed, with the following tools:
^ Use the J 42176.
^ Use the J 8608.
^ Use a deadblow hammer or use a press.





3. Lubricate the differential drive pinion gear inner bearing and the drive pinion gear shaft with rear axle lubricant and use a press to install the differential drive pinion gear inner bearing (2) to the differential drive pinion gear (1).





4. Install the differential drive pinion gear bearing spacer (1) onto the differential drive pinion gear (2).
5. Install the drive pinion gear into the rear axle housing and set pinion depth. Refer to Pinion Depth Adjustment.
6. Install the differential drive pinion seal.
7. Perform the following steps to install the pinion flange:
7.1. Hold the pinion flange.
7.2. Tighten the nut until the end play begins to disappear while intermittently rotating the differential drive pinion gear to seat the inner and the outer bearings.





8. Set the preload without the carrier installed and with the bearings lubricated to 1.0-1.7 Nm (9-15 inch lbs.) on the new bearings or 0.9-1.2 Nm (8-11 inch lbs.) with used bearings.
^ The preload specifications are being approached when no further end play is detectable and when the holder will no longer pivot freely as the differential drive pinion gear is rotated.
^ Do NOT attempt further tightening until you have tested the preload.
^ Carefully perform the final tightening only after you have tested the preload.
^ Minute tightening of the nut adds significant pound inches of turning torque.
^ Further tighten the nut slightly while testing the preload after each tightening.
^ Exceeding the preload specifications compresses the collapsible spacer too far, thus requiring the installation of a new spacer.
9. Rotate the differential drive pinion gear several times to assure that the inner and the outer bearings have been seated.

Important: Perform the differential ring gear-to-differential drive pinion gear backlash measurement if installing a new differential ring and pinion gearset. Refer to Backlash Inspection and Adjustment.

10. Test the preload again.
11. Reset the preload to the proper specifications if the preload was reduced by rotating the differential drive pinion gear.