I am installing stock yokes on Rubicon D44's. I have new pinion nuts. The previous yokes were removed by someone else and the pinion preload was not recorded. I've read everything from just getting it a little tight, to hitting it good with an impact. Many of the aftermarket drive shaft install instructions say to torque to 160 ft lbs.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

DO NOT DO EITHER! (or anything in between)

The pinion nut torque is NOT important. What IS important is the pinion bearing "preload". It may take anywhere from 160 - 400 FtLbs on the pinion nut to get the pinion preload correct.

When the pinion is set up in its bearings, the preload is set by tightening the nut against a crush sleeve between the bearings that fixes the pinion location without over or under loading the bearings. Once the crush sleeve has been crushed, it is recommended it be replaced with a new one rather than reused (they cannot be "uncrushed"). Crush sleeves are cheap ($10 - $25 for both front and rear).

Here are the "expensive" MOPAR ones (Crown's are cheaper):
Front: MOPAR 5066047AA - MOPAR® Drive Pinion Crush Bearing for 07-14 Jeep® Wrangler & Wrangler Unlimited JK - Quadratec
Rear: MOPAR 5183525AA - MOPAR® Drive Pinion Crush Bearing Spacer for 07-14 Jeep® Wrangler & Wrangler Unlimited JK with Dana 44 Rear Axle - Quadratec

When tightening the nut you need to check for the free rotational (while rotating) torque of the pinion. The rotational torque should be 10 - 20 INCH-LBS with old bearings and 20 - 30 INCH LBS for new bearings (varies slightly depending on axle assembly model number) You will need a low range beam type torque wrench to make the measurement.

Applicable video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WwCd3HNHYE

 

So to do that I need to pull the axle shafts and the carrier, correct?

 

i had mine all apart when i did my gears, but i believe you can do this without removing the shafts and carrier. i believe it will be easier with everything on and the more I think about it it may not work with everything out.

 

The torque to rotate figures given above are in the service manual, but the carrier is out at the time the torque is set.

The torque to rotate can be set with the carrier and axle shafts installed, but it has to be measured and recorded before the nut is removed, and with the brakes removed.

People, including those in the business, will say to torque the nut to 160 ft/lbs and you're good to go. Personally, I would not recommend that.

In order to ensure it's done right, you need to start from scratch.

 

I believe Tom Woods driveshaft instructions say torque nut to 160 FtLbs. Check to see what brand replacement driveshaft you have (if any) and contact manufacturer to get their recommendations.

Not knowing who messed with the differentials and what was done would scare me. If the yokes were removed strictly for driveshaft upgrade then follow driveshaft manuf instructions. If you don't know why yokes were removed, I wouldn't assume anything and would handle pinion and gear alignment (pattern check) as if a new gear installation. Maybe everything will be just peachy but as Reagan said, "Trust but verify."

BTW - I can see the logic behind the 160 FtLbs. It's enough to make sure the slack on the crush sleeve is taken up but not so much as to further crush the sleeve.

"In theory, theory and practice are the same; in practice they are not."
- Yogi Berra