im getting too conflicting methods here. im about to rebuild the spiders/trac-lok in my rear end and i was wanting to take the carrier out to make it easier to work on. some of the people i know say i can take it out and put it right back in as long as i put the same amount of shims in on both sides. but good ol pops says i need to reset the backlash and/or bearing preload? so whats the deal. i dont know from personal experience because ive never done this before.

 

If the truck is the one in your signature, you might try asking the question on the 97 -03 F150 section. Not that this is the wrong place, you just might get more answers up there.

I scan it periodically and it's pretty active.

hj

 

i was gonna, but i figured it would do better in the general auto section because alot of cars have carriers....

 

As long as you're not doing anything to the gear set itself, you can put in the same shims as you took out. The back lash, preload, and teeth mesh pattern won't have changed, just changeing spider gears and the Trac Loc.

 

sweet!! can someone explain bearing preload now?

 

Bearing preload is the amount of interference fit applied to the bearing set. The shims that are installed with the carrier set the preload. if you were to remove shims 'till the carrier had some end play, right to left, then you have no preload. If then you added shims 'till the carrier had no end play you would still have no preload. now add say .005" shim to each side and you now have .010" preload. The purpose of preload is to keep the carrier positioned solidly in the housing.

Getting the preload shims in can be difficult because you have to force them in. Usually you can tap the thick spacers in with a hammer and in some cases you have to spread the housing to get them in.

On some rear ends there are threaded adjusters for you to set the preload.

If you are just removing and replacing the carrier and plan on using the same bearings you will not be changing the preload. Now, that being said when you put the carrier back in, set the carrier up there with the bearing cups in their respective places, put one spacer in one side and then slide the carrier all the way over to that side and put the other spacer in. You should need to tap it in with a hammer. This interference is your preload. If you have no interference then you have no preload and you should make adjustments to obtain the appropriate preload.

By the way what type of truck are you working on? I would suggest you get a book from randy's ring and pinion in Seattle. It explains the procedure in great detail. You will be an expert in no time.

 

sweet! so it should definatley just be a unbolt then bold in procedure with no special tools needed. and its the truck in my sig, 97 f150 with an 8.8 LS rear.