pinion yoke

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SquareRoot

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Yes, but if it was hot enough to be smoking it's probably going to self destruct in short order. Once the rollers/races are scored it's doomed. If it seizes, it'll destroy the pinion shaft with it. Domino effect.
 

Keith Seymore

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i have a torque wrench that just has a dial indicator on. It does not ratchet but I’m pretty sure it reads in pounds instead of inches I will have to look. Millwright at work gave it to me. Can jack the truck up with the tires on and torque that nut like that or do you have to disassemble the rear end?
That's the torque for the pinion only (no ring gear, axles or tire wheels).

K
 

CalSgt

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do you think i could loosen that pinion nut and just snugg back down for now?
Nope...

Once the crush collar has been crushed too far it needs to be replaced, besides the bearings need to be inspected and/or replaced since they have been cooked.

In theory you could loosen the pinion nut and retighten to set preload but, the crush collar's job is to give the nut something to be tightened against. Since it is no longer the correct length there will be no tension. It would be like threading a nut onto a bolt and stopping when it is the correct length as opposed to stopping when it is tight (if that makes sense).

When tightening the pinion nut and collapsing the crush sleeve very small increments can make a huge difference in preload. I've ended up tightening the nut by like .5 to 1 degree bumps at a time after it is at "zero" preload, sometimes it only takes a few bumps and sometimes it takes a dozen.

With crush collar's there is no set torque you can use on the nut itself to know when to stop, you continue tightening a little bit at a time until the torque it takes to spin the pinion is in spec (usually inch pounds). It's known as torque to rotate, there are different values for new bearings Vs. used bearings and another value for total torque to rotate which includes spinning the carrier.

We use a "deadman" made from scrap steel to anchor the yoke while tightening the pinion nut, a half inch breaker bar with a jack handle cheater pipe, and a 1/4" inch pound torque wrench to check TTR.
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Ricko1966

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If you over tightened the pinion nut the preload on the bearings can be too tight.

There is a crush collar on most pinions that allows the nut to be tightened until the bearing preload is at the recommended spec. Most manuals will say the crush sleeve needs to be replaced every time but so long as they are not over torqued will usually be fine.

If you ran the pinion nut down with the UGGA-DUGGA's theres a good chance you cooked the bearings.

ETA: The other method of setting preload uses a non crushing sleeve and shims, once preload is set it can be disassembled and reassembled quickly without worry of over tightening. AFAIK this is usually only done aftermarket on GM axles.
Yes,you get a crush sleeve eliminator and shims. A lot of times I'll just take the old crush sleeve on the pinion and tap it with a hammer a few times in a few spots to take some of the crush out then retighten by hand to feel for resistance.
 

Ricko1966

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Very nice, Sgt.

It's no fun doing that under the car.

At the track.

In the rain.

More than once.

K
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Me too,but I'd still rather do it in the car than go to all the work to take it out of the car,set it up. Then reinstall it in the car. If you're interested I can tell you how to do an oil pump, in the car ,out side in negative zero weather. Lol. The things we do.
 

Josh577

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Nope...

Once the crush collar has been crushed too far it needs to be replaced, besides the bearings need to be inspected and/or replaced since they have been cooked.

In theory you could loosen the pinion nut and retighten to set preload but, the crush collar's job is to give the nut something to be tightened against. Since it is no longer the correct length there will be no tension. It would be like threading a nut onto a bolt and stopping when it is the correct length as opposed to stopping when it is tight (if that makes sense).

When tightening the pinion nut and collapsing the crush sleeve very small increments can make a huge difference in preload. I've ended up tightening the nut by like .5 to 1 degree bumps at a time after it is at "zero" preload, sometimes it only takes a few bumps and sometimes it takes a dozen.

With crush collar's there is no set torque you can use on the nut itself to know when to stop, you continue tightening a little bit at a time until the torque it takes to spin the pinion is in spec (usually inch pounds). It's known as torque to rotate, there are different values for new bearings Vs. used bearings and another value for total torque to rotate which includes spinning the carrier.

We use a "deadman" made from scrap steel to anchor the yoke while tightening the pinion nut, a half inch breaker bar with a jack handle cheater pipe, and a 1/4" inch pound torque wrench to check TTR.
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i figured. thank you for taking the time to explain this
 
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Josh577

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How do you know the rear axle assembly is misaligned? There is a small dowel or centering pin located on the bottom of the leaf springs where the axle tube is bolted to the perch. If it is not centered and in the hole, you will see a gap between the perch and the bottom of the spring. Usually, the only reason the rear assembly is out of alignment is someone has previously removed it and did not properly reinstall, or there was damage from impact.
That’s a possibility that it has been messed with. I bought this truck off of my uncle not realizing he was the ultimate red green mechanic. I can’t find a piece of this truck that he hasn’t molested
 

GTX63

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Ok, the first picture you can see the pin at the top of the spring arch. The second picture, disregard that the springs are flipped, just note the hole in the middle of the spring perch. That is where your leaf should be seated. If there is any sort of gap between the two, it isn't. If it is forward or sideways or whatever, that pin is likely busted, or the hole wallowed out.
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Josh577

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thank
Ok, the first picture you can see the pin at the top of the spring arch. The second picture, disregard that the springs are flipped, just note the hole in the middle of the spring perch. That is where your leaf should be seated. If there is any sort of gap between the two, it isn't. If it is forward or sideways or whatever, that pin is likely busted, or the hole wallowed out.
Ok, the first picture you can see the pin at the top of the spring arch. The second picture, disregard that the springs are flipped, just note the hole in the middle of the spring perch. That is where your leaf should be seated. If there is any sort of gap between the two, it isn't. If it is forward or sideways or whatever, that pin is likely busted, or the hole wallowed out.
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thank you
 

Josh577

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I’ve looked all over the Internet I can’t find a single book or repair guid how the hell do they teach GM mechanics how to do this work
 

GTX63

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I’ve looked all over the Internet I can’t find a single book or repair guid how the hell do they teach GM mechanics how to do this work

Well, my best friend went to school and became a top line mechanic for a Cadillac dealership.
I pulled apart old 283s in my garage after school and learned almost every lesson I know by screwing crap up.
Both forms of education cost about the same money.
Just an FYI, today my friend and I are equally skilled.

If I were just starting out today, I would sit in a Lazy Boy with a beer, a note pad and a remote and subscribe to youtube premium.
 
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Josh577

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Well, my best friend went to school and became a top line mechanic for a Cadillac dealership.
I pulled apart old 283s in my garage after school and learned almost every lesson I know by screwing crap up.
Both pat of education cost about the same money.
Just an FYI, today my friend and I are equally skilled.

If I were just starting out today, I would sit in a Lazy Boy with a beer, a note pad and a remote and subscribe to youtube premium.
ive watched many videos, ive found out i have alot of the tools. one particular video a man uses a straight edge and a digital vernier scale and finds center line of the axels, pinion gear from the face of the axel housing. assuming your old set up was good you just put every thing back to those same measurement. But I over torqued my crush ring so when i take mine apart im not shore if that method would work because I don’t know if my Pinon depth is currently right. I guess I can grease the gears and Check the pattern before I blew it apart.
 

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