8.8 build ratech vs old tech

[blacksheep-1]

Ok, so Superbeater ate a pinion bearing last track day, it made a couple of laps on the pinion, so I had to cut the inner race off with a death wheel. I have a set of 3.73s along with a build kit, so nows time for the deep dive. To bring you up to speed, I had already changed out axle bearings and replaced the carrier. ( this is the diff where I had to cut the locating pin for the spider gear shaft to get it apart. So all of that is new.
So I pulled out the diff box and got started.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Took it all apart, I organized the debris field a bit. The blue paint is the left bearing cap top, the white is right.



I will be doing a side by side using my numbers and Ratech numbers to see how close we get. The Ratech piece doesn't exactly exude confidence, especially when the instructions tell you that you may need to trim the nylon button to fit the pinion.



Here's a better vid on how the tool works, since my diff is still in the car..

 

[blacksheep-1]

I used the blacksheep tool to find center. I really wish the mfg would put the center spec on the end of the pinion like the old days, it made life much easier.




And the numbers from the old pinion with an .028 shim.



I thought I might get to check pinion depth but I ran into the @DaveW dilemma of a different inner pinion bearing. Fortunately my local parts store had the pieces.

 

[OX1]

Doing a crush sleeve eliminator? I always do on them and 9's.

 

[EF1]

Doing a crush sleeve eliminator? I always do on them and 9's.

I tried a Yukon Gear crush sleeve eliminator on mine last year and could not get the bearing preload right. I finally gave up and used a crush sleeve.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Doing a crush sleeve eliminator? I always do on them and 9's.

No, maybe one of these days, but I'm not currently a fan of them. Although it might make things a bit easier.
I've cheatered up this pinion, I put it in my lathe and sanded it down so I can get the bearing back off.

 

[Stangra]

So I'm doing my axle while out of the car. I thought this would be easier. I've got a set-up pinion bearing honed for a slip fit installed on the new pinion. Trying to install with the old pinion bearing shim, and used crush sleeve, outer bearing, and nut to check pinion depth. I cannot get the nut more that 1/8" from seating with all the torque I can muster without dropping the axle off my jack stands. Not sure why?

 

[blacksheep-1]

So I'm doing my axle while out of the car. I thought this would be easier. I've got a set-up pinion bearing honed for a slip fit installed on the new pinion. Trying to install with the old pinion bearing shim, and used crush sleeve, outer bearing, and nut to check pinion depth. I cannot get the nut more that 1/8" from seating with all the torque I can muster without dropping the axle off my jack stands. Not sure why?

That's odd, are the bearings in correctly?
Sounds dumb, but I've made that mistake when I was tired.
I did have 1 particular unit that I literally used a jack on the breaker bar, while the unit was in my truck, to get the crush sleeve to finally give. Is it possible that the sleeve needs to be crushed more with the new shims?
I would think not.

 

[OX1]

No, maybe one of these days, but I'm not currently a fan of them. Although it might make things a bit easier.
I've cheatered up this pinion, I put it in my lathe and sanded it down so I can get the bearing back off.

Definitely a bit more work up front, but only have to do it once, then never again.
What got me into them was doing gears (or even just a pinion seal) on older Dana diff's,
they never used crush sleeves.

 

[Stangra]

That's odd, are the bearings in correctly?
Sounds dumb, but I've made that mistake when I was tired.
I did have 1 particular unit that I literally used a jack on the breaker bar, while the unit was in my truck, to get the crush sleeve to finally give. Is it possible that the sleeve needs to be crushed more with the new shims?
I would think not.

Yeah the bearings are correctly installed. So after a trip to the hardware store to pick up a couple of 3 foot lengths of iron pipe to use as wrench extenders I was able to crank it down, some unexplained resistance after which it went the rest of the way much easier. I'm guessing maybe something on the pinion flange splines or the pinion/nut threads?
I've heard a few folks say that when replacing Ford gears with Ford gears they rarely need to alter the pinion bearing shims. I put the same .028" shim between my setup bearing new pinion, the depth came out to within .001" - .002" of the depth before disassembly. Since the surface of the pinion isn't perfect I'm assuming it's ok to consider that good, within my measuring tolerances. How critical is +/- .001" for the setup?

 

[blacksheep-1]

Yeah the bearings are correctly installed. So after a trip to the hardware store to pick up a couple of 3 foot lengths of iron pipe to use as wrench extenders I was able to crank it down, some unexplained resistance after which it went the rest of the way much easier. I'm guessing maybe something on the pinion flange splines or the pinion/nut threads?
I've heard a few folks say that when replacing Ford gears with Ford gears they rarely need to alter the pinion bearing shims. I put the same .028" shim between my setup bearing new pinion, the depth came out to within .001" - .002" of the depth before disassembly. Since the surface of the pinion isn't perfect I'm assuming it's ok to consider that good, within my measuring tolerances. How critical is +/- .001" for the setup?

Oh yeah, the ultimate check is the gear pattern. ,001 either way prolly won't matter.

 

[blacksheep-1]

OK, so let me set this up for you. I just had 2 pedestals installed into my jawbone along with some bone graph material, so I'm sore as h****. ( my mon died at 91 with all of her original teeth, that gene TOTALLY skipped me,) this is along with the fact that I was on a chainsaw all day Sunday to chopdown a 40ft water oak that was hit by lightning. AND.. I'm on a plane early Thursday foe back to back Indy weekends.
The reason I say all of this is because this is going to be a deep dive into the 8.8, so please check my work, and be patient, narcotics and red sangria only go so far with pain negation.
So here we go.....
Onward! Into the fog.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Yeah the bearings are correctly installed. So after a trip to the hardware store to pick up a couple of 3 foot lengths of iron pipe to use as wrench extenders I was able to crank it down, some unexplained resistance after which it went the rest of the way much easier. I'm guessing maybe something on the pinion flange splines or the pinion/nut threads?
I've heard a few folks say that when replacing Ford gears with Ford gears they rarely need to alter the pinion bearing shims. I put the same .028" shim between my setup bearing new pinion, the depth came out to within .001" - .002" of the depth before disassembly. Since the surface of the pinion isn't perfect I'm assuming it's ok to consider that good, within my measuring tolerances. How critical is +/- .001" for the setup?

I had to go Hawk Tuah on my crush sleeve as well, unfortunately it had to come back apart... 7 times.

 

[Stangra]

Survey says......
?

This is with diff bearings shimmed hand snug, still need to add .006" to both sides for preload. I'm assuming it shouldn't change much after equal preload added to both sides.
I've just used .006" less on each side than the factory shims at this point.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Survey says......
?
View attachment 98594View attachment 98595
This is with diff bearings shimmed hand snug, still need to add .006" to both sides for preload. I'm assuming it shouldn't change much after equal preload added to both sides.
I've just used .006" less on each side than the factory shims at this point.

Mine is not behaving well, fighting me all the way.

 

[Stangra]

What do you think of my gear pattern?