This is my first rear end rebuild and let me tell you I am learning a thing or two. Just to let you all know what I am doing. I am replacing the gears from the stock and installing a Detroit No-Slip locker (for sport cars and 2wd trucks) I have found that a close by expert and an excellent set up of tools is required.

The first thing I have figured out is taking the rear end apart is much, much easier than putting it back together.

Second, preload is a bear without a nice impact wrench. Something novices, such as myself, should take into account is that you have to take apart the pinion and its carrier assembly several times to figure out the correct preload. It's trial and error with a solid spacer. I found you can use a collaspable spacer, but isn't as good as a solid one. From what I found out a collaspable spacer won't maintain the preload aswell as a sold spacer because of bearing wear and the ability of the spacer to flex. Whereas a solid spacer will/should change only with bearing wear. (Make sure you have a press and a good impact wrench)

Tomorrow I will be setting the backlash. Luckily I have a friend that works at a Chevy dealership (wince) that does rear end work for Chevy and on the side does work for race car people. When I first showed him the rear end I was working on he recognized it by the pinion carrier assemply and said "Ford 9" good choice" Anyways he was nice enough to tell me he would stay after work to help set up the backlash correctly so I wouldn't be wasting a bunch of money by hacing the rear end tear apart and destroy the detroit locker. Nice guy.

I do have one more last thing to mention. The tech article says that the preload shoudl be around 8 inch pounds (I think), but the tech guys at the shop said with a solid spacer it should be around 20-25. I don't know if this is correct, but I am going with their specs based upon their experience.

Any other additions are welcomed.

 

Around 10 to13 in. lbs for used bearings. Around 15 to18 in. lbs. for new. Don't forget to check your gear mesh patern with marking paste. You may have to make pinion depth changes to get the right patern.

 

Pinion depth is tomorrow or today, whichever you watch says.