OK. I've got the 1969 F100 rear end in my 55 F100, and now we're ready to stop the oil leak from the differential. We've pulled of the yoke for the drive shaft connection and the oil seal. I'm ready to replace the oil seal but first, do I have to remove the "crush sleeve"? If I do, how the heck do I? Or do I not replace the "crush sleeve" and just replace the oil seal and then the yoke. And finally, what is the torque for the yoke nut.

Thanks to all of you guys and gals - this project would be dang near impossible without this forum!

 

The crush sleeve sets the preload (pressure) on the pinion bearings, kina like a spring, but I THINK to change it on the 9 inch you have to remove the pinion gear and press the bearings off the shaft and replace the sleeve and replace or repress the bearings back on the pinion gear.

You can just replace the oil seal and re-torque the nut, but this is the hard part, if I remember right, tighten just a little bit more then it was before? A very inexact science as it is almost impossible to tell what it was at, especially if you have removed it without indexing it, sorry but that the best I can do. Takes big tools, 175 foot pounds, I think, OR an air impact and a wild a$$ guess.

Experts will be along soon, but being wrong keeps me humble.

 

you pretty well have to replace the crush sleeve once you take the yoke nut off. you might get lucky and able to reassemble it and get the correct preload, but in most cases it will not and you will destroy the bearings pretty quick.

you will have to remove the whole pinion gear assembly from the main pumpkin. the inner bearing is pressed onto the pinion gear and the outer one is a slide fit. you don't have to remove the inner bearing to replace the crush sleeve, just slide the whole gear out. you can get new crush sleeves from Ford. but since you are taking it apart, may aas well spring for new bearings. they are fairly cheap insurance.

it is not tough to set up the pinion preload properly, but you will need a fairly big bar to crush the sleeve and then check the rotational force with an inch pound torgue wrench to get the correct preload. i can't remember the exact figure, i will have to look it up at home for the rotational force but it is in the 15 in/lb range. there is really not a correct torque figure to torque down the nut but a correct preload rotational force that is required. it takes a lot of force to initially crush the sleeve then tighten a bit more, check rotational force, tighten some more, repeat till you get the correct preload. if you go to far, you have to start all over again with a new crush sleeve.

i would suggest taking it to a driveline shop to let them set it up for you. my local shop charged me $60 to do it properly as i didn't have a inch pound torque wrench.

its up to you if you want to retry using the old crush sleeve. it might work out okay, but if not you will find out pretty quickly. your call

Rgs
Mike

 

Hope this helps.
Setting Up a Differential Ring

 

It's a good idea if you have it apart to replace the crush sleeve and from what I understand it requires quite a lot of force to initially start to crush the sleeve. Once the sleeve starts to crush (you'll feel it) you stop and then torque the nut to 11 inch pounds and it's done. This is what my mechanic friend tells me and he told me that he's done several Ford differentials.

 

Is your oil leak from a bad seal or was the yoke nut loose? Normally you don't have to replace the crush sleeve when replacing the pinion seal. My advice is install the yoke with out the seal, torque the pinion nut to 175ft lbs, and see if you can still rotate the yoke and that you have backlash. Backlash is free play when turning yoke from one direction to the other, between the ring gear and pionion, so if you hold both axles solid the yoke will have slight movement in either direction. If you can't turn the yoke then you need to replace the crush sleeve. Hopefully this isn't the case. If the yoke nut was loose a vibration in the driveline could be the cause. If every thing is ok take apart and reassemble. The reason you assembly without the seal is that if something is wrong you could destroy a seal taking it back out . Hope this is helpful!

 

Thanks, Councilman. I replaced the rearend with the '69. Then determined that the distance between the yoke and tranny was 1.5" shorter than original. So I'm swapping out the yoke with one that is 1" longer than original (it fits - I swapped out the u-joint on the driveshft to match). I'm doing this rather than add an inch to the driveshaft. I found the differential leaking oil when I filled it after mounting it and have been hoping that only the oil seal was bad. Then someone mentioned I must replace the "crush sleave" when I removed the yoke and have been wondering if this is always the case.

 

[quote=erinaldi;7011130]I found the differential leaking oil when I filled it after mounting it and have been hoping that only the oil seal was bad./quote]

Did the seal surface on both yokes have the same outside diameter?

 

If you swapped yokes you will have to install a new crush sleeve and yes check the OD where the seal surface is. If you take the pinion assembly out and put it in a vice it is much easier.
Here's how I do mine.
Clamp the yoke in a vice so the assembly sticks out the side. Use a deep socket and remove the yoke nut. pull the pinion out of the yoke. Replace the seal in the housing. Slide the ouer bearing off the pinion. Replace the crush sleeve. Put the outer bearing back on the pinion. Put the pinion back in the housing. Put the assembly in the yoke and put the pinion nut and washer back on. Tighten it just until there is no play in the bearing this will require some umph as your initially crush the sleeve as mentioned. Using a fish scale you can get at any sporting goods store or bait shop measure how much pull it takes to spin the housing aruond the pinion. Do this by winding string or wire around the housing and tie it through a bolt hole. The hosing is around 4" dia so the radius is 2" so doubling the scale reading will give you an inchpounds of torque measurment. Tighten the pinion nut a little at a time until it takes 6lbs on the fish scale to turn the housing. Reinstall the housing with the original shims. Good luck Rich.

 

Cobraguy nailed the procedure. Follow his advise. One other thing to check is the seal surface on the yoke. If it is worn, you can install a ready sleeve and it will give you a new seal surface.