Hi all,

I’m in the process of building a Dana 44 HD with J8 tubes. I decided to go with 4.56 gears from Yukon and a RD157 Arb locker. I have the pinion gear assembled into the housing and after several attempts I have gotten the pinion preload to be 20-22 inch lbs of torque. This is using all new bearings and the pinion seal is not yet installed. I am using a solid spacer and shim stacks to set preload. I’m not going the crush sleeve route.

I have a couple questions about pinion preload:
1) being on the low end of the torque like I am will this noticeably effect pinion bearing life? Yukon recommends 22-35 inch lbs and Dana recommends 20-40 inch lbs.
2) would it be worth taking apart again and trying to get closer in the middle of the pinion torque tolerance?
3) when measuring the pinion preload is that with the pinion seal installed? Does that add any additional pinion preload torque?

thanks for all the help in advanced.

 

I’m in the middle of a pinion preload debate on my own Jeep so I can appreciate the stress! I also have never done what you’ve done so take that into consideration..

I understand true pinion preload to just be the torque needed to rotate the pinion on it’s bearings with the seal and nut installed. I would suspect that if you’re already at around 22 in lbs without the seal and nut that your preload will increase as you tighten the nut and you can tighten to reach more of a mid range pre load

just my hypothetical thoughts without experience- not sure how not using the crush sleeve works here

 

!)I would say no since you are within spec. You have no play in the bearing.

2) I wouldn't.

3) Put the seal in last and re torque.

 

the nut is already tightened to the required torque so that will not add any additional preload to the bearings. I don’t have the seal installed yet so I am wondering if the seal will add additional drag once installed.

 

for item number 3, does the seal add any additional drag, which increase the pinion preload torque measurement?

 

This is from a Dana Manual: NOTE: NEW PINION SEAL WILL ADD 3 LB-IN (.34 Nm) TO THE TOTAL TORQUE TO ROTATE

 

awesome! thank you! So if I’m sitting at 20-22 inlbs without the seal, theoretically I will be at 23-25 inlbs once the seal is installed for the pinion preload?

 

Yes, but the bearing preload will still be 20-22 in/lbs.

 

thanks for clarifying that. If it was up to you, would go back and try to get it closer to nominal pinion preload torque (30 inlbs)? Or just call it good?