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10 bolt r/p install

78 k5

78 k5

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jul 8, 2004
Posts
260
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Location
Auburn, AL or ATL, Ga
I've been at this 4x4 thing for a couple years now and I have finally decided to tackle my first ring and pinion install. I have a pretty good amount of working knowledge with the axle but wanted some tips from you'all. I've got all new Timiken's/crush sleve/seals/shims/etc... and my dial indicator is in the mail. I will be taking the carrier and pinion to my local shop to have the barrings pressed on so I won't be doing that my self...but everything else I will have to do.

To the point....If there are any problems you guys have run into along the way that would help me please note. Any little tricks of the trade etc... that will make this easier would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

FYI: 1978 1/2ton 10bolt front 8.5...... 3.73r/p replacing the 3.08
 
Three main things you have to make sure you get set right:
1. pinion depth
2. pinion bearing preload
3. Backlash
You also have to preload the carrier bearings, but that is not too hard.

Pinion set up:
Have the shop remove the large pinion bearing, but don't have them press the new one on...yet anyway. There is a very good chance that you will have to assemble and disasseble the rear end a few times before you get the pinion depth right, which means removing the large pinion bearing to change the shim. keep your old pinion bearings and use a die grinder or dremmel tool to enlarge the inner race of bothe pinion bearins. Use these as set-up bearings. Start with the factory pinion shim and adjust the depth from there based on the contact pattern. Once you get the pinion depth corect, take the pinion back to the shop and have them press the new bearing on.

You will need an inch-pound, beam style torque wrench to measure and set the pinion preload.

You will want to make some kind of a wrench fom holding the pinion yoke. I made one out of a 3' length of 2"x3/16" angle. It takes a lot of torque to crush the crush sleave, so a good way to hold the yoke is neccessary.

By an extra crush sleeve in case you screw one up.

Take your time, and make sure you follow the break-in procedure for the gears.
 
another little trick that I use:

When intstalling the carrier and setting backlash I take an adjustable wrench or a flare-nut wrench (because its flat) and bolt it to the top diff cover hole. When I slide the carrier in I swing the wrench down in front of it and tigten the bolt to keep the carrier from falling out whille I screw around with the carrier shims and bearing caps.
 
Loafer has covered all the bases.

I always use a huge A$$ pipe wrench to hold the yoke. Just let the pipe wrench rest on the leaf springs and she will not rotate at all.
 
My front 10b had external shims meaning the shims went between the carrier and the housing not behind the bearing.
One thing that I ran into when doing mine was that the new ring gear need to be but in the freezer over the night and I heated up the carrier with a torch to get the ring gear to seat, you may or may not have to do this.
another thing is that the ring gear bolts are reverse thread, no more righty tighty left loosy, you turn them to the right to loosen them, I found out the hard way (bolt snapped off in old ring gear) but the new install kit should come with new ones. Another tool that helped out alot was a pair of calipers for measuring the thickness of the shims.
PM me if you need any help along the way.
-Chris
 
Thanks so much for the info. I will definitly PM "when" :D I run into problems. Any body got any good links to pictures of a proper pattern. I haven't seen actual pics of the ring gear with the marking compound and a good pattern, only drawings from manuals etc...

Thanks for the tips...keep um coming.
 
When I set up my 10 bolt I replaced the crush sleeve with a solid spacer. This is not absolutely neccessary, but by eliminating that crush sleeve its one less part to fail. Also, if you're really up-town then you can buy yourself a set of c-clip eliminators. :D :D Kevin
 
Here are pics of the pattern I had on my D70 when I did the gears. I posted them on here and got the thumbs up. I had to take my carrier and pinion out three time to get the right pattern. I had patterns that had the pinion both too close and too far, so I was able to see what the wrong pattern looked like at each end of the pinion depth. When I finally hit the right one, it was obvious. These are all different views of the same pattern, both the coast side and the drive side. The last one show the pattern the best. Also, do like was suggested by Randy's Ring & Pinion, and mix a little gear oil into your marking compound, make it smooth but not runny. This will make less go a longer way, which is nice if you end up having to check the pattern a few times.
DSC00011.jpg

DSC00008.jpg

DSC00007.jpg

DSC00006.jpg
 
85mudblazin said:
One thing that I ran into when doing mine was that the new ring gear need to be put in the freezer over the night and I heated up the carrier with a torch to get the ring gear to seat, you may or may not have to do this.
-Chris
Click to expand...

i had to do the exact opposite. we use an old toaster oven in the garage for this. throw the ring gear in there for 15 min on high. slipped right on after that. also works great for pinion bearings. i prefer the oven method vs. the torch causs it heats more evenly. especially important with bearings.
 
KevinsK5 said:
Also, if you're really up-town then you can buy yourself a set of c-clip eliminators. :D :D Kevin
Click to expand...
when i bought my axleshafts from Moser they told me that these are not recommended for a street driven vehicle. not sure why tho. guess it doesnt stand up to high mileage situations. :dunno:
 
Jonny-K5 said:
when i bought my axleshafts from Moser they told me that these are not recommended for a street driven vehicle. not sure why tho. guess it doesnt stand up to high mileage situations. :dunno:
Click to expand...
I too was advised by several people on here not to fit a c clip eliminater as they don't have the strength needed for trucks. They are for straight line stuff. apparently you lose half the bearing load area with the kit.
 
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