So I replaced my leaky pinion seal .. it was slinging oil all over so it was time. I went ahead and ordered a new flange along with the seal, pinion nut, & drive shaft flange bolts as I had high suspicions why it was leaking. Upon disassembly, I found my suspicions to be correct .. the original pinion flange was grooved. No leaks now!

Anyway, the job went resonably smooth ... I measured preload before and after and generally felt things were good when I buttoned it back up. I detect no side-to-side or up-and-down movement at the pinion flange and had a slight drag w/ about a 12 in lb preload.

Test driving afterwards, I hear no sounds during acceleration, coast, or deceleration. I can stomp the pedel at a coast and hear nothing, and I can let off the pedel during a hard acceleration and hear nothing. The housing is not unresonably warm after a good drive.

But, what I am hearing now is a "clunk" when the auto trans upshifts from 2nd to 3rd during a mild stop light acceleration. I'm 95% sure this was not there before the job. The first thing that came to mind was a backlash probelm .. but what could I have done to change the backlash? Anybody have any ideas as to a cause?

 

There is a torque value for the pinion nut make sure that is correct. It will not take much to make a backlash problem. Also do you have a limited slip diff? Very possible to get a clunk sound from this.

 

Make sure that the u-joints are seated properly and the clamps are tight. Any slop in the needle bearings or clamping of the races will cause a clunk.

 

Was thinking this too ... but I have all new Spicer U-Joints & Strap Kits; less than a month old!

I'll eyeball 'um again just to be safe ...

 

i'd start at the rear of the trans and work your way back..

check all your fasteners and give everything a good wiggle test...

 

No this is the 10.25/10.5 axle, it has a crush sleeve so he did it correctly by measuring pre-load. The dana 80 has a specific tq spec (470#)