? for those who have set up their own gears....

[mofugly13]

What tools did you find absolutely necessary? I have a dial indicator and an inch/pounds torque wrench. What I dont have is a press, or any handy means of pulling the bearings off the pinion. I just ordered gears for my D70 and am going to do it myself. I am thinking of buying a bearing separator so that I can use my three-jaw puller to separate the bearing from the pinion. Sound like it will work? I have read the install instructions from Randy's Ring & Pinion many times, and I understand exactly what I need to do. The pressing on and removing of the pinion bearing is the only thing that I am skechy about, as far as having the tools to do it. Any and all advice is appreciated.

 

[K5MONSTERCHEV]

Well I havent ever set up my own gears yet, but thats what I do when im not in school, so I could help you here.
1/2" gun
press
carrier bearing puller
setup bearing
slide hammer for axle bearings
prybars
dial indicator
aluminum pucks to install new races/axle bearings
punch to remove old races
marking compound

I know you asked what tool are "absolutley necessary" and to me, all these are. With all the correct tools it makes the job go a lot faster and easier. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif Otherwise, HAVE FUN! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[jakeslim]

i did my own gears in my 14 bolt, and could not even imagine doing them with out my press. Just makes life easy. Buy a cheap press at Harbour Freight and then sell it off when your done.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

Just have a machine shop do the pressing. We press pinion bearings on all the time at my work.

 

[bablazer73]

If your going to set up the axel "correctly", you need a pinion depth tool. Most times i have seen people reuse the shims that are already on the stock pinion and get it "close enough".

 

[Steve_87K5]

I'd suggest some tools I wish I'd had:

1. New test bearings for the pinion and carrier, for test purposes only. The inside diameter on a test bearing has been enlarged just enough that they slide on and off without pressing. This allows you to test different shim steups before final press on.

2. A proper side bearing puller. Randy's R&P sells one. So do all the tool trucks (Snappy, Matco) I have used a bearing seperator in combination with a press to remove the side bearings but this IMO is not the preferred method.

3. For Dana, I should have used a case spreader. I didn't have one when I did my Dana 60, so my diff side bearing preload is lower than it should be. Its OK, but I'da liked it a tad tighter (this was 100k+ miles ago)

4. A yoke holder. I made one out of 1/2 plate with holes for the U joint bolts, the pinion nut socket, and a 3/4 square hole for the lg breaker bar handle. Loaned it out, its still on vacation somewhere.

5. If you are working on the floor with the axle in the truck, make a chunk of wood that you can set the diff assy on, and so its level with the housing. This way you can push it into the housing easily and get a feel for the fit (without having to hold the weight of it at the same time)

 

[Mudzer]

Pinion Depth setting tool from Jegs or Summit which are $100 or so.

3 jaw puller

Bearing Separator

12 ton press

Inch pound dial type torque wrench

Magnetic base to use dial indicator included in the depth setting tool kit - to check backlash.

If you can spring for it, a housing spreader.

 

[mofugly13]

From everything I have read, a pinion depth setting tool is not necessary for swapping gears. It is used when setting up gears in an empty housing. I have also read that the pinion gear is marked with a number signifying, in thousandths of an inch, how much over (or under) the pinion is with respect to the nominal, ie. "blueprint" dimension. When you change out the pinion, you measure the existing shimpack, then take the difference between the markings on the original pinion and replacement pinion, and add or subtract that difference to the shim pack measurement. Then you make up a shim pack equal to that. Please correct me if I am wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Steve_87K5]

I made a home made pinion depth set up to use with a micrometer depth gauge. It worked OK, but after some experience you can read the engagement pattern and adjust your shimpacks accordingly.