How can I tell if he set the front gears up rite? I been driving the jeep around it don't have the front drive shaft in it rite now that won't hurt anything will it? There's no noise or anything coming from the front axle when I drive it

 

The 8.25 is one of the easier differentials to work on since it uses side adjusters instead of shims to set the backlash, however you do need to buy or make a special tool to turn the side adjusters. For the bearings the only setup bearing you need to make is the inner pinion bearing, and I don't recommend using the old one for a setup bearing. If you don't have a press you can put the bearings in the oven at 350* for 30 minutes then drive them on with a deadblow hammer and a piece of pipe or socket that fits on the inner race. The other specialty tool you will need are an in lb torque wrench, dial indicator, a set of digital calipers to measure shim thickness, and a long breaker bar or cheater pipe to crush the crush sleeve.

 

here is the adjusting tool a lot cheaper version than the one on amazon but you will need a few extentions to adjust it with the torque wrench through the axle tube. you can weld your own tool if you have welding options i didnt and just bought this one and its fairly cheap 25$


https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-12...ster-tool.html


marc

 

"I'd at least check the backlash run out on the front, as well and mark the gears and see what the pattern looks like."

 

A lot of people just use one of these.

The actual side adjuster tool is nifty. What your calling torque most people would refer to as "pre load" in this application.

Backlash and bearing pre load or what your calling "torque" is set at the same time with the drivers side adjuster. You'll always move the driver side adjuster last because the ring gear is always being forced away from the pinion.

The author's of the Yukon Gear Installation manual even state they have never had a problem with to much pre load on carrier bearings.

The pinion bearings are another story, once you have done this job a couple hundred times you can develop a feel for pinion bearing preload, if it's new to you use a inch pound torque wrench.

 

I dont think that tool is going to work for the side adjuster. How are you going to torque them down to 75 ft lbs with a punch? I made my own tool with scrap material I had laying around and it worked fine. An old nut on one side and a 3/8 drive on the other that the TQ wrench plugs into.

 

i didnt refer to torque as preload i said 'torque wrench' you set the preload with a torque wrench


marc

 

I forgot to mention you'll need one of these too, thought that was implied.

If you know how to swing a hammer right you could put a lot more than 75 ft. lbs. on those side adjusters w/ a hammer and punch.

Enough said.

 

Yes I get that a hammer always goes with a punch. I figured that much. A brass punch with a big hammer works great for removing the bearing races for the pinion bearing. But thats it.

Have you ever worked on a 8.25 rear end? You physically cant get a punch into the adjusters. They are under the bearing caps. You cant even get your fingers in there. Well at least my sausage fingers didnt fit. No way around it without the proper adjuster tool.

 

You can use your finger if you want but I prefer to use a 3/16" punch to tighten the side adjusters in the 8.25.

A punch doesn't fit? that's simply not true.

Extensions on a torque wrench? idk

 

Lets just suppose you can get your punch in there, how do you know when you accurately hit the correct TQ so that you dont overload the bearings and fry them?

 

So your asking me to explain how to use a punch?

Sorry I'm not accepting applications for shop a apprentice looks to me like RTV is a challenge for you, and your a bit narrow minded so you wouldn't be a good learner.

I guess you'll have to put down that tube of goop and pick up some wrenches(or a punch and a hammer in this case)and learn for yourself.

LOL

 

your way or the highway eh?

the op is obviously just learning about gears and is asking questions to learn. Recommending to use a punch and hammer to set a critical part of your gears isn't really sound advice. Especially if its theit first time.

 

That was a random picture I found online buddy.... My point being how do you physically get a punch in there? There is no room! I have never tried since I used the correct tool when I did mine. And secondly, the question you keep magically skipping over, how does your punch let you know when you get to the proper TQ? Do you have some type of a one of a kind TQ punch? Your just that good? Do you feel comfortable knowing that you really dont know what TQ/preload is on the bearings? Maybe you should hire me so I can show you the proper way to TQ down the adjusters so you dont fry the bearings. Do you ever TQ heads or just say "yep that feels about right"? A true professional mechanic would not skip the very important step of loading the bearings with the proper TQ. Also, a true mechanic would have the correct tool for the job. Telling someone to just punch the adjusters until they are tight is just wrong. Bad info doesnt fly around here.

 

its better to have one solid adjuster tool, too many extentions will set off the torque value and wont be precisely accurate, go for this one then



this tool is a 100$


marc