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Front pinion bearing replacement - I think I messed up

Ilikemice

Elite Explorer
Joined
July 6, 2009
Messages
346
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10
City, State
Midlands
Year, Model & Trim Level
'99 XLT
Hi, it's been a while since I needed help, but today I screwed up!

My front pinion seal was shot ('99 XLT Dana 35) so I figured I'd replace it. I ordered some crush sleeves too, but then after taking the yoke out realised the crush sleeve was behind the bearing, which wouldn't come out at all. I hadn't marked where the nut was because the plan was to change the crush sleeve and torque it up, so now i'm kind of in the dark as to how tight to put the nut on.

Because I don't have a driveway of my own and had to move on from the one I borrowed, I ended up having to put it back together as tight as I could get it. Now I have a slight noise coming from the front end which I suspect are the bearings due to the crappy preload.

Is it worth trying to tighten the pinion nut properly so the noise will go away, or is it too late and I need a new bearing - in which case is there a trick to removing it? it came out as far as about 1/4" onto the splines then wouldn't budge, and didn't want to destroy it prying it out.

If I can get away with just tightening it up properly, can I check the preload of the pinion with the wheels on the ground? there's some rotational play in the pinion shaft when assembled which I could maybe take a measurement, but it seems you're meant to do it with the diff disassembled

On the plus side, the diff no longer slings oil everywhere :D

Thanks in advance
 







Look at the end of this video when he is assembling
 






To do it properly, you need to pull the CV axles and set the preload per the book.

At that point, I’d just pull the three bolts and lower the diff out, and do it on the bench top.

That all said...it takes a solid amount of torque to crush it further. You’ll feel when everything bottoms out against the crush washer—feels like you bottomed out a bolt in a hole...suddenly lots of torque required to keep tightening. Guddentite at that point and you’ll probably be just fine...but that isn’t then approved procedure so don’t blame me if you **** it up haha
 






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