Recommendations for an 8.8" rear rebuild...

[ShadowBolt]

I could do the whole thing EXCEPT for the pinion gear -- I've never set one up and I don't have the experience or the tools needed. Perhaps we could work something out for just the pinion?

All you need to set-up the pinion on the 8.8 is a long breaker bar, a companion bar, some cheater pipe and a inch pound torque wrench. You tightem the pinion nut crushing the crush sleeve until it has the right amount of pre-load. I found a video on youtube that shows it done correctly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8APYO2sZyJU

JJ

[gt40]

All you need to set-up the pinion on the 8.8 is a long breaker bar, a companion bar, some cheater pipe and a inch pound torque wrench. You tightem the pinion nut crushing the crush sleeve until it has the right amount of pre-load. I found a video on youtube that shows it done correctly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8APYO2sZyJU

JJ

Really? How do you set the pinion depth correctly?

[Wade]

The crappy part about setting the depth is that it is properly measured to the centerline of the main caps, so if you can devise a method/tool to accurately locate the centerline of the main bearings/caps/axles, you just add shims under the pinion until you get the distance from the top of the pinion to that centerline correct. The pinion is the easy part. The backlash is the hard part.

[edrock96GT]

When I installed 3.73s I just miked the old pinion + shims, then measured the new pinion and added whatever thickness of shims I needed to match the total length of the old one. That will result in the same depth. Just don't do what I did and think that the inner bearing race is seated just because it's flush with the case...

To me the backlash is the easy part. Just move shims from one side to the other until your pattern looks right. The best thing to do once you find the right amount of shims is to buy a single shim per side that's the total thickness you end up with, rather than multiple shims that can shift around.

[ShadowBolt]

Really? How do you set the pinion depth correctly?

What Wade said.

JJ

[gt40]

Backlash I can handle -- I did that when I set up my Torsen. Since I was swapping diffs, not gear sets, I didn't touch the pinion.

Has anyone ever used this?

http://www.ratechmfg.com/pinion%20setting%20tool.htm

It's a gauge that sits ON the pinion shaft and provides a measuring surface between the bottom of the bearing pocket and the gauge itself. There are models specific to the rear end being set up (#10006 is the one for the Ford 8.8.) At $30 at Summit, it's cheap enough for me to grab and do the rear end myself. If I install the pinion and can't get a good contact pattern, I can always have a shop re-do it.

[Boudy]

David Painter (Richard's Brother) has a shop in S. Ft. Worth, he did my tranny and rear end. (817) 447-1900

I'll use him every time in the future again. Too many guys do it themselves, don't save enough to even justify the trouble, and complain about failures. I just can't go that route.

Boudy