wgreenlee4

Hey so I am doing my first ring and pinion swap and I was wondering what kind of movement is okay (none?). I am replacing the OEM 3.27 with Ford Racing 3.73. I had the bearing pressed on the pinion with the one shim the OEM pinion had. I was trying to install it with the new pinion nut and I know that it is supposed to be at about 140 ft/lb (I don't yet have a torque wrench but will in a few days). I tightened the bolt to about 80 ft/lb I believe, but the pinion can now move in and out 3-4 mm, it is not set at all (but rolls fine). When the nut is fully tight, should the pinion not move in and out at all? Or should I take it out and install another shim or something?

Bubba 95SN

The crush sleeve has not collapsed all the way.

mjr46

you should not be doing that job without the proper tools, you need a torque wrench that can measure rotational torque, it takes roughly 150 ft lbs to start to collapse the crush collar, once all end play is taken out then I start turning and measuring with the torque wrench, I do it in small increments as it will quickly cause preload to change, 8-14 inch lbs for a used bearing and 16-29 for a new bearing, if you don't have the tools to check for such, stop now or your install will be set up for failure

wgreenlee4

Okay, well I will have a torque wrench in a few days and will use it to torque the nut to 150 ft/lbs. But I don't understand the preload thing, I am new to that. The main pinion bearing (bigger one) is a new bearing and the other one is the old bearing. What's this preload thing??

mjr46

did you install a new crush collar?? preload is the pressure/force placed on the bearing and race and the effort it takes to turn the bearing

mjr46

and torquing the nut to 150 ft lbs doesn't matter, that's just the spec it takes to start crushing collar, but it all depends on the strength of the crush collar as to when it starts to collapse, I've had some take more effort, all that matters is you remove all in and out movement and at that point moving in small increments, tighten the nut and after each small movement, using the inch lb rotational torque wrench, measure the drag on the bearing. And you should of replaced both, not 1 of the pinion bearings, you either use both the old ones if in good shape or both 2 new ones. PRELOAD/DRAG ON THE BEARINGS IS IMPORTANT. aLSO ONCE CRUSH BEGINS AND YOU START TO MEASURE FOR PRELOAD/DRAG, IF YOU GO TO FAR/ to much, you don't back the nut off, you have to start all over with a new crush collar. It sounds to me like you really need to put down the tools and research how to install a ring and pinion in a 8.8 some more if you don't understand preload.

wgreenlee4

Yeaaaahh I've been trying to do research on it but the steps are endless and people are always saying different things. What you just listed is probably the most helpful thing I've found on the internet so far. I knew that you should replace all the bearings but they are looked perfect, I replaced the pinion bearing just for convenience of the person who pressed it for me.

I do have a new crush collar/sleeve, it's nice to finally know what that is called. I have heard before that you are not supposed to back off the nut. I do not have an inch/lb tool but I could find one. I have a torque wrench and pinion depth tool but that's it.

I have the official ford 8.8 instructions on replacing ring and pinion but it requires a ton of special tools and I can only get some of them. I am only 20 and this job is for me so if it doesn't work out it is not a disaster. My parents and friends couldn't care less about cars so I basically have me myself and I to help me.

I have lots of time, I am doing many other thing to the car at the same time.

mjr46

replace the front bearing and race if you replaced the pinion bearing, if you are using ford racing gears, a pinion depth tool is almost useless as there is no depth stamped on the head, I often use the oem shim on the pinion and sometimes I have been able to use the stock shims for backlash, you'll need to measure backlash with a dial indicator and it should fall within .008 to .012 for the spec. I have done numerous gear installs for people as well as myself. I understand the tools are expensive and I have invested a lot in all the tools but trust me when I set a rear up, it's done precise.