IRS pinion flange installation

[White95]

After reading through countless thread on several forums, I have a great understanding on checking the axle's preload, the R&R of a pinion seal reinstalling a pinion flange and lastly, the pinion nut. However, I have an IRS that was purchased without a pinion flange. What is the process for installing the pinion flange if you can't check the axle's preload ahead of time? Do I need to disassemble the assembly and remove axle shafts first or just rebuild the whole damn thing since it has about 60k miles. I've never tried to tackle building my own rear ends and I have qualified help to lean on if I get stuck.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[White95]

Anyone? Bueller?











Bueller?

 

[White95]

Just going to rebuild the center section to be safe!!

 

[fastback brian]

something like that I would start out with 10 inch pounds break away torque with no axles installed. but the pinion nut has to be tight at the same time.., Any slop and the bearings will fail and too tight they will fail..

 

[THunterW]

I just installed a new pinion flange in my IRS since I'm in the middle of rebuilding my entire IRS differential. I didn't have the expensive tool from Ford that actually installs the flange onto the pinion gear without having to install the nut. I set up my pinion gear and installed the flange into the gears grooves and used my pinion nut to suck the flange onto the gear itself. There was still plenty of play even with the flange fully installed since my crush sleeve hadn't compressed yet (I actually used the Ratech "smart sleeve" instead of the OEM crush sleeve supplied in my FRPP gear kit). Once I got the remaining forward to aft play taken up in the pinion, I torqued the pinion nut to 130 ft/lbs and gave it another 1/8 of a turn and had actually set my pinion preload right under the tightest limit, at 28 in/lbs. If you haven't removed the differential carrier from the case you might be able to hammer a new pinion flange onto your housing with a soft faced mallet or deadblow, since the pinion gear will be meshed against the ring gear, not allowing it to move on you. I would definitely remove the cover and inspect everything internally though since now would be the time to replace bearings and gears before you install the IRS case back onto the car.

 

[White95]

Thank you guys for your input!!