Freerider15

Any time you're swapping out anything different, one should do a full check.

Even on just a carrier replacement, the pattern should be checked.

There is absolutely a chance you'll need to adjust the pinion shims as well.

97grand4.0

Sure adjust the pinion shims if you change out the carrier bearings. What for I will never know. What. It's only what...250 ft lbs on the nut, once you have that apart you can change the bearing, simple. Just press it off in your 50 ton press. And then tightening the pinion requires no skill at all, just snug it up. Forget about the crush sleeve! So what if it's a one time deal? Just reuse the old one.

You should check the carrier shims, however, because that can change with new bearings. Of course you can check the pattern and see how it looks.

00t444e

I have switched out carriers several times and I have never had to adjust the pinion.

s346k

00t444e

I made my own tool for adjusting the carrier on the 8.25. All it takes is a piece of 1/2" black iron pipe with a 36mm nut on one end and a bolt or nut welded on the other so you can put a socket on it. I have two of them that way I can put one on each side and don't have to keep switching them when adjusting.

Freerider15

You can feel free to keep doing it the backwoods "redneck" way.

Many of the rest of us choose to do things properly.

Freerider15

That's rather surprising honestly.

Every carrier is slightly different. I know people who done dozen, if not hundreds of installs (4x4 shops) and pretty much anytime they've changed anything up, even small shimming redo's we're required.

But, as long as it put out a good pattern with good backlash, run it.

The patterns I've seen people willing to run amazes me though. I laugh a little when they later complain about any gear whine, noise, etc.

bad_idea

Gear whine? That's what the radio is for. CRANK IT UP.

s346k

00t444e

Yes every carrier is different that's why backlash need so be measured and reset, with either carrier shims or side adjusters depending on what axle. Pinion depth isn't going to change unless you remove the pinion and mess with the bearings or shims.

Slackdaddy

If you think about it, the pinion depth is set in relation to the centerline of the carrier bearing saddles.
If you are just swapping out the carrier (going from an open to a locker) and re-using the ring gear, and not touching the pinion,, The pinion/ring relationship will be exactly the same.
The new carrier had better put the ring gear exactly centered on the centerline of the carrier bearing saddles, If the new carrier is slightly different from the original,, you have bigger problems then the "wear pattern",, you would have an out of round or off centered ring gear.
So in theory if you are swapping in a new carrier and using the original gears, then you should not have to adjust pinion depth

Freerider15

Likely so...but the overwhelming amount of times I've seen people say "just slap it in and you'll be fine"...is rather astounding

That's if you get a good pattern off the bat. However, pinion depth also effects backlash as we all know, and sure you could get 0.005" to 0.008" backlash, and still be riding well outside of the desired pattern.

I've swapped out carrier bearing and such before, and do a backlash check with run out of at least 4 spots on the ring gear.

It's a hell of a lot easier to keep doing shims until it's right, then replace all the innards and get to do it again.

Then I'll run a pattern and pray that it hits where it should, and I don't have to keep farkin' with it

There is a guy locally that used to be part of NAXJA, until he got booted for screwing enough people over on axles.

He'd swap ratios, or a locker, or a carrier...or all three and do a quick backlash check..and send it on down the road.

Yeah...you could say...several...people ended up with trashed axles.