[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Just a word of caution if wanting to check pinion rotational torque without disassembling the rear.

The rotational torque measurements given in books and ring/pinion setup instructions is just for the "pinion gear only" That means the posi unit with ring gear and the axles are not in the housing. It was never meant to be a measurement with other components in place, it's just pinion bearing preload measurement. Interference with other rearend components in place will skew those numbers.

What I do in these situations where I just want to change a yoke, is the same procedure when I am fixing a pinion seal leak. I mark the nut and the pinion gear and then count the turns it takes to remove the nut.

On reassembly I count the turns on the nut and as I get to my mark I make sure I'm at a point that all the slack in the pinion bearings are gone, no more play. I then want to give the bearings a pinch of preload again, because remember at that mark they had preload from the crush sleeve, which has now been lost, so I'll turn the nut maybe 1/8" past my mark and leave it at that. Since we are reusing the old nut, which generally isn't recommended but that's how this repair goes, I'll peen the nut in 3-4 places for good measure so it doesn't move.

All this is excellent advice and correct.
Marking the nut to the pinion is good, but that assumes the yoke is same thickness at the nut area.
I guess my point is that you can change the yoke and seal, without a rear end tear down. Everything I do has NO crush seals, which makes my life easier.
Formulajones, you are On the Money...