Totally agree with TTS on buying a pinion depth tool. Pinion depth does flucuate between gearsets. As an example, often on 8.5 corporates stock shim will be .040 or .041, often with aftermarket gears, will need .034-037. A few thousands is all it takes to make noise
If serious, buy a T & D pinion depth checker kit, then if you don't need it anymore, sell it on e-Bay, you should recoup real close to your initial investment, if not more. I've worn out one of the T & D's & use two other T & D's (one to double ck the other's calibration) when I'm building differentials. Keep the alum hubs greased & the caps clean & the hubs will last for a long time.
Always use a new crushsleeve...once in a blue moon, a used one will be thick enough to do the job in
another housing.
Pinion drag...25 inch lbs with new greased ( Mystic JT-6) bearings & races. 15 inch lbs with used bearings & races. Can buy a cheap beam type inch lb torque wrench for under $15, if you don't need a high $$$ Snappy dial type.
[ May 12, 2002, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: ol' Pinion head ]