Rear end?
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Junior User
Joined: May 2003
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Rear end?
1994 F-150 300 , auto , 2x4; I just change the U-joint's ( it was doing a loud " clang" when I put it on gear ;Still do it but now more louded. I think it may be the rear end; do any body had this problem, if so what it's. I appreciate you help. Thanks
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
More likely than not, the pinion nut has backed off. Does the pinion move up and down at all? There is a right way and a cheap way to fix this. The cheap way just involves retorqueing the pinion nut back down and not worrying about the pinion bearing pre-load.
The right way is you buy a new crush sleeve and buy a special tool to hold the pinion in place while you put enough torque (400 ft-lb ish) on the pinion nut to crush the sleeve which puts the correct amount of bearing preload on the pinion bearing. To do this you have to remove the carrier completely. It's quite an involved job and probably not for the average backyard mechanic.
The right way is you buy a new crush sleeve and buy a special tool to hold the pinion in place while you put enough torque (400 ft-lb ish) on the pinion nut to crush the sleeve which puts the correct amount of bearing preload on the pinion bearing. To do this you have to remove the carrier completely. It's quite an involved job and probably not for the average backyard mechanic.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
A tip: You can just thread two bolts in the companion flange and put a rod or extension of decent strength inbetween the bolts and use it to hold the assembly rather than buy that special tool. You could also take a piece of flat steel and drill two holes in it and bolt it on the companion flange...basically the same thing as the special tool.
But the carrier does need to come out to properly measure pinion preload. If it were me, I'd take the driveshaft off and grab the companion flange and try to wiggle it around to see if it's at all loose. If it's tight but I can rotate it ever so slightly...it's fine. Only thing is I know the feel of what the backlash is suppose to be from experience...mgiht be hard for a first timer.
If the pinion is loose and you notice that nut is loose, I'd say tighten it up until the looseness goes away but don't over tq it or you'll ruin that crush sleeve and have too much preload on the bearings and eat them up.
But the carrier does need to come out to properly measure pinion preload. If it were me, I'd take the driveshaft off and grab the companion flange and try to wiggle it around to see if it's at all loose. If it's tight but I can rotate it ever so slightly...it's fine. Only thing is I know the feel of what the backlash is suppose to be from experience...mgiht be hard for a first timer.
If the pinion is loose and you notice that nut is loose, I'd say tighten it up until the looseness goes away but don't over tq it or you'll ruin that crush sleeve and have too much preload on the bearings and eat them up.
