Setting pinion preload - how to (1 Viewer)

[cederholm]

Hey guys, while changing the pinion seal on my 1981 60 I discovered I have a solid spacer with shims (I was expecting to use a crush sleeve). After reading a bunch of posts I see that the solid set up is preferred. What I haven't found is how to set the preload. There are mention of the FSM but I don't have one and my Hynes book sucks.

Any advice on how to set it?

Thanks,
Carl

 

[TobyB]

Well, with a spacer, you can't!

But the shims solve that.

If you're JUST changing the seal, you should be good to go
if the pinion was set correctly before.
The nice thing about a solid stack between
the pinion bearings is that you can just change the seal and not have to
worry, if the seal's the only problem.
Even if you're doing the
bearings, you're probably fine- bearing tolerances are remarkably
good these days. But it never hurts to check things:

The right way to do it (for a bearing change) is to blue the ring gear,
and make sure the contact pattern's good first.
The factory manual applies, here.

If that's ok, then torque it all up and see how stiff the pinion is.
There's a spec in the manual, and it applies here, too.
THEN if it's too loose, you take out a tiny bit of spacer and try again.
Too tight, you add.
The spacers mean you have to take it all back apart if it's not right,
but it USUALLY will be ok. And a thou of spacer one way or the other
won't mess up the pattern enough to need to re- set the pinion height or depth.

hth

t

 

[lcwizard]

Be glad you have a spacer. Can't stand the crush sleeves.

 

[Spike Strip]

gear install

 

[cruiserpilot]

gear install

I can't thank you enough for posting this. Absolutely the best write up I've ever seen with pictures
of a 3rd set up. I've installed 3 air lockers, but have always had the set up done as I don't have a
press or the other tools. But this is good. Next time I'm going to do it all. Thx, J

 

[Spike Strip]

No worries. Zuk is the best, but I would prolly try it myself next time, too. IIRC I purchased the Solid Spacers from Just Differentials. I'd like to know if they are still available from Toyota because I think the change to the crush sleeve was in '84?

 

[Niferous]

So I'm trying to do this now myself and have torqued the nut to 170 ft/lbs yet my preload is just under 5 lbs. since the nut is torqued to just about its max should I go ahead and install my ring gear and then check with blue marking paint? Does the FSM state what preload should be?

The tool I made to help me tighten the pinion nut:

My dial torque wrench reading after making a 360° rotation of the pinion nut.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

If I'm seeing this right you're using a FOOT pound torque wrench?????? Bearing preload is specified in Inch pounds. You've got 60 inch pounds (if you're Gage is remotely accurate in that range) - way too much. You need a way to measure inch pounds. Maybe read up some more on Zuks site. So much free info there.

 

[Niferous]

If I'm seeing this right you're using a FOOT pound torque wrench?????? Bearing preload is specified in Inch pounds. You've got 60 inch pounds (if you're Gage is remotely accurate in that range) - way too much. You need a way to measure inch pounds. Maybe read up some more on Zuks site. So much free info there.

So how much should I have if 60 is too much? As I research I'm seeing guys say 50 in/lbs.