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Pinion Questions!!!

oldshep

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To start off I didn't find any threads that answered my question. haha. On the rear axle of my bobbed truck the pinion has some slop in it. Maybe an 1/8th inch or less front to back and i can push the drive shaft up and down and feel and see the pinion move. I first noticed this a month or two ago but i havent driven it much and it hasn't got any worse. I tried tightening the pinion nut(s) with a break over but they wouldnt move a hair. Any ideas? I have a spare axle as well.
 

JDToumanian

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Mine is doing the same thing.... Heard a clunking sound when backing up, got under to check the drive shafts and bolts. Center axle's pinion shaft has a lot of slop so I need to do the same thing as you. I haven't checked the TM to see what it entails yet....

Jon
 

clinto

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Anybody done this job? I didnt find any posts.
Ken in Texas has done pinion bearings.....

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/1446-axle-seals.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/6198-replaced-rear-pinion-seal-handy-hint.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/4686-leaking-differential-seal.html

I looked on the parts cross reference page on the old site (Steel Soldiers :: Military Vehicles Supersite) and I didn't see the pinion bearings....... so off to the old search machine again........

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/54205-pinion-bearings-napa.html (not very helpful)

I can't find a Timken or Napa # for the pinion bearings on the site. I bumped the above thread hoping an answer will fall out of the sky.

Short answer? You may have to remove yours, find the Timken # on the bearing and the race and order them.
 

JasonS

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Unless your pinion bearings are damaged, is there any reason that you can't simply remove shims to restore the preload? You wouldn't replace loose wheel bearings if you could simply tighten them up, would you?
 

clinto

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Thanks for the feed back guys. Any sugustions on how to get the pinion nuts off?
This is what I have used on all of ours.............
 

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Stretch44875

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If the pinion was installed correctly in the first place, the play had to come from somewhere. Only way for play in the pinion is for the bearings to wear, and loose material. I could see taking out .005 shim to tighten up a very little bit of slop, but 1/8 in is pretty good indicator bearings are shot.
 

JasonS

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If the pinion was installed correctly in the first place, the play had to come from somewhere. Only way for play in the pinion is for the bearings to wear, and loose material. I could see taking out .005 shim to tighten up a very little bit of slop, but 1/8 in is pretty good indicator bearings are shot.
If there is 1/8" of slop, new bearings alone probably won't correct the situation. I removed a 2 to 5 thou of shims to tighten visuably noticable vertical play in the pinion.
 

oldshep

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Ok so I got the pinion, bearings and seals pulled out today. Was pretty easy. Bearings are on order for thursday. Bearings had alot of slop. From what i can tell the back(larger) race had spun around in the axle housing but it didnt look too bad. What would cause that? Because when i took the piece off the back side that holds the rear pinion seal the rear race fell out by itself. Id say the cause of my bearing issues was too many shims. I think anyway. Ill get a few pics up tonight or tomorrow.
 

tm america

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Cheaper and easier to change the third member than to get a bearing kit and install it.chances are it the thru shaft bearings are going out the intermidiate shaft bearing are not far behind.Mine was doing the same thing bearings were waisted .the intermidiate shaft has probably 1/8 inch up and down movement to not good.I switched the third member.. fast cheap and easy..saturn surplus has gov rebuilt third members for 475 ..A bearing kit is gonna cost you over 350 ..or you can get a used rear for 200 and have spare axles and brakes-hubs too
 

oldshep

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Since i bobbed my truck I have another 3rd member anyway. I figure my other axle could be in the same shape. And I work at a parts store so I get all my bearings a lot cheaper:-D. I cant find any play in the intermediate so I think I'll be good.:wink:
 

tm america

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i would pull it all the way apart just to check for pitting ...even though they feel tight now they could be on their way out ...A quick look could save you you from having to pull it back out later.
 

Stretch44875

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If the bearing spun in the housing, the housing is shot. Spun bearing will wear out the housing, and a new bearing will not fit tight. That is also where your play came from.
 

Billy Bobbed

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If you decide to pull the chunk do what I did,drill a small hole in the bed right over the chunk.Then run a small cable to it to an engine hoist in the bed.You dont have to take the bed off.
 
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