You might be able to use a slide hammer to pull the yoke. Make sure you do a couple of pulls on one side of the flange and then a couple on the other side so you work it off evenly.

If you were close I'd bring you over the T53T-4851-A. Makes it real easy to pull the yoke straight off. You might be able to make one, too. Not very complex.





Chad

 

I was planning on putting the ujoint clamp bolts back on and using the slide hammer in reverse, with the T part of the handle going where the ujoint would go. Probably not typical use, but I figured it would work.

If I'm checking the rotating torque properly, im only reading like 8 in-lbs (this is prior to me doing any work - trying to get baseline reading). I put pictures to show how I was doing it, wheels off the ground, wheels and drums removed. I did the best i could with adapters to go from 1/4 to 3/4, so i know what I'm seeing isnt going to be completely accurate.

If what i am doing is correct, what does that mean? Do I have another issue or does that just mean the pinion nut isnt tightened to the point that it should be?

 

What you have looks fine and the way you are measuring is also fine; the rotating spec for used bearings is 10-14 inch pounds; 8 inch pounds on 50 year old bearings is only slightly below due to wear and seems perfectly logical. And yes, if you tightened the nut just a wee bit you would land in the 10-14 range by adding a little more preload to bearings via a wee more "crush" of the sleeve.

I like those shiny new brakes - looks good.

 

At this point, I havent taken anything apart yet. I thought I remembered from another post to measure where I was at before removing anything. I'm about to start at it now. When putting it back together, do I shoot for the 8 in lbs I was at or go to the recommended value?

Shes been coming along good so far. After this seal and replacing a seal on the steering gear box, she should be ready to hit the road for the first time since the early 90s. New brakes always look great, but that wont last long ha.

 

Upon assembly, tighten the nut enough to get the rotating torque back to 8 inch pounds; according to the shop manual narrative you then want to tighten nut more to add 8-14 additional inch pounds. Therefore upon assembly your final target is 16-22 inch pounds of rotating torque. Like others have mentioned, counting the threads is useful as a reference (especially if reusing old nut); but if the new nut is a different thickness then that reference does not really help.

I just remembered that years ago I needed to hold a pinion yoke still; I held a scrap piece of 2x6 against yoke face, traced with a sharpie, and used a jig saw to cut out shape - the scrap needs to be long enough to hit the frame or ground in both removal and tightening directions.

 

The wood idea is a good one, and I definitely have plenty spare wood laying around after just recently finishing up my garage build.

Well.. I thought I was going to get her done, but that hercules of a torque wrench is too long for me to get a useful pull on it to engage before I hit the side of the truck. I guess back to the drawing board on a wrench to use.

 

I ended up just ordering a 25-250 ft lb 1/2 drive to pickup tomorrow, Itd be handy to have around anyway since all I had before was a dial style 0-150. Part 2 shall hopefully resume tomorrow.

 

Adding to your tool collection is always a PLUS! You'll have other uses for it in the future, I am sure.

BarnieTrk

 

It is the old adage; one step forward two steps back....always seems to work that way on these old beasts. At least you have a garage to work in -- I do all my work in the open on a crush and run driveway that slopes in two different directions -- adds to the challenge.

 

LOL! Gavin, I feel for ya!
I seem to recall that for the first 40 years, I worked on & under my hunks-of-iron in the dirt with a flashlight in my mouth....and always looking for sections of planks to put under my homemade jackstands so they didn't dig into the dirt and tip over....
Today, with every project I do, I thank the Lord that I have a level 20' x 20' concrete slab to stage and work on !!

BarnieTrk

 

Oh I've definitely been loving the garage so far, it's nice in so many ways. Before all I had was a carport, but it atleast had a concrete pad so I had that benefit, but man I don't miss those cold NE winds in the winter.

 

Whatcha mean?? All ya have to do is take some 4ft x 8ft square sheets of cardboard, crease them about two feet up along the long side, place the cardboard against the windward side of the truck with the crease on the ground...now the cardboard is 2ft on the ground, 2ft up on the side of the truck and 8ft long. Shovel some snow onto the 2ft creased flap on the ground to hold it in place and Vola!! Instant wind break! Take a light bulb on a extension cord under there (it gives you the false sense of heat).

I recall doing this on three sides of my '65 F100 one wintery day. What was I doing? I had decided to change out the main bearings in my 390 from under the truck! Yep, fun times......

BarnieTrk

 

Scrap wood pieces are my most precious and valuable asset. I worked in shops for 15 years so I know what it feels like to have the creature comforts, but changed careers and now back to poor, country teenager hot-rod techniques

 

I am a little dubious of the slide hammer removal technique. If the yoke comes off pretty easy then it would be okay. If not, just remember with every stroke of the slide hammer you are bashing the bearing into the race and with every stroke the clash between bearing and race will be harder. Get a loaner puller from a local auto parts store; either a two jaw or a harmonic balancer style puller if the slide hammer technique does not work easily.

 

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