So, I blew a wheel bearing apart driving down the road a few weeks back. I tore my front end apart because I figured why not rebuild it all now. I had a loose ball joint, needed brakes and u joints. I found my front pinion has a lot of play in it, up and down and in and out. I dropped the diff cover and the gears seem okay but the pinion just floats around. I bought a rebuilt kit (Axle shaft seals, bearings and shim kits, pinion seal), but Ive never torn into a differential this far. Seeing as my pinion is free to play move around, I'm assuming that the shims that are left are probably not gonna measure out right.

 

Does anyone know a good starting point for shims? Whats a good starting point for torque on the the pinion nut (when spinning it)? Any other tips for me too would be greatly appreceated.

 

Thanks, Mick

There is a factory service manual on this site that should have all the info you need