setting preload on pinion bearing
 

How do you hold the long drive shaft rod so that it will be steady when you set the preload on the pinion bearing at 20 inch pounds.

Re: setting preload on pinion bearing
 

When I set the pinion pre-load the banjo is out of the rear axle assembly and is clamped in a wood vice. I have a set of Ford factory pinion nut wrenches. Shown in the photo I have one wrench held in place by the work bench as long as I keep pressure on it. I can operate the other wrench with one hand. In the other hand I use a pipe wrench to hold the drive shaft in place. The shaft in the photo is a Mitchell overdrive stub shaft, but it would be the same for a standard drive shaft.

In the event a Mitchell is being installed and the the pinion gear assembly was removed from an assembled rear axle assembly, the pinion assembly is removed from the drive shaft and transferred to the Mitchell stub shaft.

As long as the two nuts are not disturbed the pre-load stays in tact. However, often it is found that there is no pre-load and the bearings may be shot and need to be replaced. In this care to set the pre-load the shaft is clamped in the pipe grabbers of a bench vice and the nuts are adjusted. When performing this task I set the pre-load by feel. I have set enough of them I can come pretty close to what 20 in lbs should be.

Tom Endy

Re: setting preload on pinion bearing
 

I set the preload before installing in the case by holding the drive shaft in a vise and feeling the preload by turning the bearing race by hand.