Replacing rear Pinion Yoke

[kbldawg]

I have to replace the pinion yoke on my 9" and I don't know if the installer used a crush sleeve or space and shims.

Once I take the yoke off, can I tell which I have by looking, or do I have to dig deeper?

If he used a crush sleeve, is it possible to use a torque wrench to determine the amount of torque that is applied before I remove it, so that when I reinstall the new yoke and crush sleeve, I can just retorque it to that setting and be ok on the preload?

hope that makes sense.

 

[broncnaz]

A crush sleeve will be a little buldged in the middle. A solid spacer will also have some shims and will not be bowed in the middle. If you have a crush sleeve its best to replace it with a new one. It is possible to use the torque required to remove the nut but usually its slightly higher than what the it was actually torqued at due to rust dirt ect. I have reused crush sleeves in a pinch I think I just retorqued to factory spec. But dont be surprised if tit loosens up on you after a while. You local Ford dealer should have crush sleeves.

 

[bax]

Once you take the yoke off you will not be able to tell because the crush sleeve is in-between the pinion support bearings. it is not visible. you will have to pull the oil seal and remove the first bearing. Then you will either see a crush sleeve or a set of shims. If it's set of shims you are golden. Put it back-together, new oil seal, new yoke, new nut, 175LBS. of torque and your good to go. If its a crush sleeve you should re set up the rear end. however I have seen many people just put another crush sleeve in and re install. Not the best. One trick that a guy showed me was if you take the crush sleeve and measure it's crushed dimension. Get a solid spacer set and stack up the same dimension as the old crush sleeve and install the solid spacer set, I am told that will work however I really dont trust it. I would have to remove and re set up. This is why I wonder why the crush sleeves are even used anymore. The solid spacer is so much better.

 

[Bronco73]

I suggest pulling the pinion from the thrid member and if you have 3.50 gears make sure you install the pinion the way it cam out to keep the same wear pattern. On a gear like 4.11 you don't have to worry about the alignment. With the pinion out you can set the bearing pre load by slowly torqueing on the pinion nut until you have roughly 15 in lbs of drag on a used bearing. On a new bearing roughly 20 in lbs of drag.

Measureing the old crush sleeve will get you close to what the solid spacer should be but more than likely it will come out to thick but it is a good starting point. Use some blue loctite on the pinion nut and of you can buy a new pinion. If you try to torque the pinion nut with the crush sleeve to the given spec you may find that you have either gone to far or not enough, it never is the best way to install a crush sleeve. A solid yes. Check the drag by hand to verify the pre load is good, no the torque setting.

 

[kbldawg]

I didn't do the setup (don't know how), a local Ford tech did it...so I'm not sure what I've got (crush sleeve or solid spacer), I THINK I remember buying the solid spacer from Mike (COR) because I sold bax the extra parts I had from the 9" install kit and I believe there was an unopened crush sleeve left over. (is that right, Bax?)

anyway...I'm running 4.56 gears and an ARB with 31 spline moser axles.

I ordered a new pinion nut and crush sleeve, guess I better go get a new pinion seal too. %)

 

[bax]

dang that is correct, you sold me a unopened solid spacer. heck I will go look.

I know right where it is?

 

[bigmuddy]

Chad, if you need a torque wrench or tools give me a shout.

Ben

 

[bax]

In the box there is a used crush sleeve, looks used anyway. a brand new never been opened solid spacer and shim kit. Pinion shims and a gasket. I bet you money your guy used a crush sleeve. Do you want the solid spacer kit back?

 

[kbldawg]

Chad, if you need a torque wrench or tools give me a shout.

Ben

Thanks Ben, it's sounding more and more like I need to have a pro do this. I don't want to screw up anything. I wouldn't mind doing it myself if there was a slight chance I would screw up the preload, but it sounds like to me the chance is pretty dang good.

In the box there is a used crush sleeve, looks used anyway. a brand new never been opened solid spacer and shim kit. Pinion shims and a gasket. I bet you money your guy used a crush sleeve. Do you want the solid spacer kit back?

lol, that figures. Sounds like I need to get ahold of James and find out exactly what he did. I bet your right Bax. Since it was done at the Ford dealer, he probably just got one from the part dept, not knowing I had already gotten the stuff. Then again, he may have reused the old one, I dunno!!?:?

I appreciate the offer, but now that you have it, if you get rid of it, you'll end up needing it. I'll just find another one.

Does the spacer usually come with shims or do you need those too?

 

[bax]

The solid spacer comes with shims.