# Replacing rear pinion bearing in Dodge 1500?



## shakey gizzard

Must I remove the diff cover or can it be reached by removing the yolk?


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## DAVE

The only one you can change without complete disassembly is the outer pinion bearing. To do the outer you will remove the flange. If you have a bad outer bearing then you probably have other problems as well. Anything other than outer pinion bearing you will need special tools and it is not really a do it your self kind of job.


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## shakey gizzard

I've already removed the diff cover thinking the fluid leak was from that gasket. No metal on magnet and all gears seem clean and tight. it was'nt till I rolled drive shaft that I seen the slop. The truck is a beater and not worth the rebuild of the rearend and all I need it to do is make it toa dealer/trade in. Whatcha think?


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## Twenty five ought six

shakey gizzard said:


> I've already removed the diff cover thinking the fluid leak was from that gasket. No metal on magnet and all gears seem clean and tight. it was'nt till I rolled drive shaft that I seen the slop. The truck is a beater and not worth the rebuild of the rearend and all I need it to do is make it toa dealer/trade in. Whatcha think?



Pack it with wheel bearing grease.

4 generations of Bubbas can't be all wrong.


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## shakey gizzard

Twenty five ought six said:


> Pack it with wheel bearing grease.
> 
> 4 generations of Bubbas can't be all wrong.



I like the way you think!


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## Slug-Gunner

First, remove the driveshaft from the differential pinion and check the pinion itself for any excess play.... NONE SHOULD EXIST AT ALL.  Be sure to TAPE the U-joint end caps in place so the roller bearings don't fall out if the end caps come off.  If its TIGHT, then the problem may be in the drive shaft U-joints being worn out.  If the pinion shaft has ANY PLAY in it, then see below. 

_NOTE:
Be sure to use a center punch to mark the driveshaft to pinion alignment before removing the drive shaft.  This should be done to insure proper alignment on replacement to maintain the proper BALANCE of the driveshaft.
_

It sounds like someone in the past might have replaced the pinion seal without KNOWING HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.  Whenever you remove/loosen the pinion nut, you have to replace the 'crush washer' and torque the pinion nut tighter until you get the proper pinion gear-to-ring gear alignment (using machinist blue to check the mesh/alignment of the gears until the 'contact pattern' is centered).  Not too many people, even most mechanic/techs know how to do this properly.

Try 'blocking' the rear wheels with the 'parking brake' pulled ON tightly.  Then try tightening the pinion nut down a little more to see if the slack/play in the pinion gets better.  If it does, then that is/was the problem.  Get a small brush and some 'machinist blue' and put it on the pinion & ring gear teeth and keep tightening the pinion nut until it 'contact pattern' on the gear teeth is 'centered' when you rotate the pinion gear (you'll need to release the parking brake/blocked wheels to rotate the pinion gear). Please note that it can take up to 400 ft/lbs of torque on the pinion nut to accomplish this sometimes (that's why the pinion nut is SO HARD TO BREAK LOOSE TO REMOVE IT sometimes). 

If you just want to check the 'gear mesh' alignment quickly, just use a small brush and put a dark colored chassis grease on the gears and rotate it around and look at the pattern on the gear where the grease is almost completely pressed out and leaves a 'clean spot' on the gears where the 'point of contact' is being made.  It should be centered.... if it's towards either end, it's OUT OF ALIGNMENT.  The dark/black colored molybdenum chassis grease will work OK, but not as well as 'machinist blue' will.  

If you plan on 'trading in' the truck on a new one, then just tighten it enough to remove the play in it.  Let us know what you find.


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## Lukikus2

Twenty five ought six said:


> Pack it with wheel bearing grease.
> 
> 4 generations of Bubbas can't be all wrong.



Or add a couple of banana peels


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## 7Mag Hunter

Slug-Gunner said:


> First, remove the driveshaft from the differential pinion and check the pinion itself for any excess play.... NONE SHOULD EXIST AT ALL.  Be sure to TAPE the U-joint end caps in place so the roller bearings don't fall out if the end caps come off.  If its TIGHT, then the problem may be in the drive shaft U-joints being worn out.  If the pinion shaft has ANY PLAY in it, then see below.
> 
> _NOTE:
> Be sure to use a center punch to mark the driveshaft to pinion alignment before removing the drive shaft.  This should be done to insure proper alignment on replacement to maintain the proper BALANCE of the driveshaft.
> _
> 
> It sounds like someone in the past might have replaced the pinion seal without KNOWING HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.  Whenever you remove/loosen the pinion nut, you have to replace the 'crush washer' and torque the pinion nut tighter until you get the proper pinion gear-to-ring gear alignment (using machinist blue to check the mesh/alignment of the gears until the 'contact pattern' is centered).  Not too many people, even most mechanic/techs know how to do this properly.
> 
> Try 'blocking' the rear wheels with the 'parking brake' pulled ON tightly.  Then try tightening the pinion nut down a little more to see if the slack/play in the pinion gets better.  If it does, then that is/was the problem.  Get a small brush and some 'machinist blue' and put it on the pinion & ring gear teeth and keep tightening the pinion nut until it 'contact pattern' on the gear teeth is 'centered' when you rotate the pinion gear (you'll need to release the parking brake/blocked wheels to rotate the pinion gear). Please note that it can take up to 400 ft/lbs of torque on the pinion nut to accomplish this sometimes (that's why the pinion nut is SO HARD TO BREAK LOOSE TO REMOVE IT sometimes).
> 
> If you just want to check the 'gear mesh' alignment quickly, just use a small brush and put a dark colored chassis grease on the gears and rotate it around and look at the pattern on the gear where the grease is almost completely pressed out and leaves a 'clean spot' on the gears where the 'point of contact' is being made.  It should be centered.... if it's towards either end, it's OUT OF ALIGNMENT.  The dark/black colored molybdenum chassis grease will work OK, but not as well as 'machinist blue' will.
> 
> If you plan on 'trading in' the truck on a new one, then just tighten it enough to remove the play in it.  Let us know what you find.




Very good advice...Why trade and get new truck payment
when you really don't have to.. might not be expensive to fix...


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## shakey gizzard

Slug-Gunner said:


> First, remove the driveshaft from the differential pinion and check the pinion itself for any excess play.... NONE SHOULD EXIST AT ALL.  Be sure to TAPE the U-joint end caps in place so the roller bearings don't fall out if the end caps come off.  If its TIGHT, then the problem may be in the drive shaft U-joints being worn out.  If the pinion shaft has ANY PLAY in it, then see below.
> 
> _NOTE:
> Be sure to use a center punch to mark the driveshaft to pinion alignment before removing the drive shaft.  This should be done to insure proper alignment on replacement to maintain the proper BALANCE of the driveshaft.
> _
> 
> It sounds like someone in the past might have replaced the pinion seal without KNOWING HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.  Whenever you remove/loosen the pinion nut, you have to replace the 'crush washer' and torque the pinion nut tighter until you get the proper pinion gear-to-ring gear alignment (using machinist blue to check the mesh/alignment of the gears until the 'contact pattern' is centered).  Not too many people, even most mechanic/techs know how to do this properly.
> 
> Try 'blocking' the rear wheels with the 'parking brake' pulled ON tightly.  Then try tightening the pinion nut down a little more to see if the slack/play in the pinion gets better.  If it does, then that is/was the problem.  Get a small brush and some 'machinist blue' and put it on the pinion & ring gear teeth and keep tightening the pinion nut until it 'contact pattern' on the gear teeth is 'centered' when you rotate the pinion gear (you'll need to release the parking brake/blocked wheels to rotate the pinion gear). Please note that it can take up to 400 ft/lbs of torque on the pinion nut to accomplish this sometimes (that's why the pinion nut is SO HARD TO BREAK LOOSE TO REMOVE IT sometimes).
> 
> If you just want to check the 'gear mesh' alignment quickly, just use a small brush and put a dark colored chassis grease on the gears and rotate it around and look at the pattern on the gear where the grease is almost completely pressed out and leaves a 'clean spot' on the gears where the 'point of contact' is being made.  It should be centered.... if it's towards either end, it's OUT OF ALIGNMENT.  The dark/black colored molybdenum chassis grease will work OK, but not as well as 'machinist blue' will.
> 
> If you plan on 'trading in' the truck on a new one, then just tighten it enough to remove the play in it.  Let us know what you find.


Its definitely the bearing and seal! i know to mark nut,count threads and # of rotations to keep from over crushing the sleeve. I dont have the tools or the knowhow to go deeper. I will however try to tighten the nut first.


7Mag Hunter said:


> Very good advice...Why trade and get new truck payment
> when you really don't have to.. might not be expensive to fix...



I was quoted 1100 for what Im attempting to do. This truck is EATING ME ALIVE!


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## Thajonesboyz

My shop gets, 500. to replace all bearings and seals and reset a dodge 1500. If you are going to do it yourself , please don,t tighten the nut on the yoke to adjust the contact pattern on the gear set. the only purpose for tightening the nut on the pinion other than holding the yoke on is to set the preload on the pinion bearings. to tight and more bad bearings.  adjust the the contact pattern by shims under the inner pinion bearing or race, and moving the carrier side to side with the adjuster screws.


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## DAVE

The reason for using a new crush sleeve is so you can torque the pinion nut to proper specs. (usually around 210ft.lbs.) and it will result in proper pre-load on bearings and rotating torque (usually around 15-30 inch lbs.). The only way to put the pinion nut back on to proper tightness is to use a torque wrench, you can not do it by counting threads or whatever. Pinion depth will be the same as before because you have not changed pinion or shims. Without removing pinion I don't think you will be able to remove bearing race for replacement, which you should change with new bearing. The reason for reading a contact pattern is for noise reduction like whinning, since you are not changing anything but bearing this is not something to think about. If you change only the outer bearing and don't disassemble differential then you won't have to worry about touching any other adjustments.


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## 7Mag Hunter

Thajonesboyz said:


> My shop gets, 500. to replace all bearings and seals and reset a dodge 1500. If you are going to do it yourself , please don,t tighten the nut on the yoke to adjust the contact pattern on the gear set. the only purpose for tightening the nut on the pinion other than holding the yoke on is to set the preload on the pinion bearings. to tight and more bad bearings.  adjust the the contact pattern by shims under the inner pinion bearing or race, and moving the carrier side to side with the adjuster screws.



Thats a fair price for the parts and labor involved......


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## shakey gizzard

Thajonesboyz said:


> My shop gets, 500. to replace all bearings and seals and reset a dodge 1500. If you are going to do it yourself , please don,t tighten the nut on the yoke to adjust the contact pattern on the gear set. the only purpose for tightening the nut on the pinion other than holding the yoke on is to set the preload on the pinion bearings. to tight and more bad bearings.  adjust the the contact pattern by shims under the inner pinion bearing or race, and moving the carrier side to side with the adjuster screws.


Hope not to have to touch inner!


DAVE said:


> The reason for using a new crush sleeve is so you can torque the pinion nut to proper specs. (usually around 210ft.lbs.) and it will result in proper pre-load on bearings and rotating torque (usually around 15-30 inch lbs.). The only way to put the pinion nut back on to proper tightness is to use a torque wrench, you can not do it by counting threads or whatever. Pinion depth will be the same as before because you have not changed pinion or shims. Without removing pinion I don't think you will be able to remove bearing race for replacement, which you should change with new bearing. The reason for reading a contact pattern is for noise reduction like whinning, since you are not changing anything but bearing this is not something to think about. If you change only the outer bearing and don't disassemble differential then you won't have to worry about touching any other adjustments.



Are you saying I wont be able to reach the" outter "race without removing the pinion?I just got back from buying the new outer bearing and seal, FYI they are made in Indonesia!


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## DAVE

The race for the outer bearing goes in from the drive shaft side but unless you have some kind of puller that can get past the pinion enough to reach the cut outs to the race I don't see how you could remove it. The normal way to remove that race is to drive it out with a punch from the ring gear side but if carrier and pinion is still in place you won't be able to reach it and if you was able to remove the race you would not be able to install the new one without removing pinion gear. Sorry for not telling about race before, I just now thought of not being able to reinstall. Sometimes you can get away without replacing the race if it is not damaged. If the race has damage you probably will be able to see it with a flashlight. If you are planning on getting rid of truck I would not tear the differential apart. I would either bite the bullet and have an experience mechanic with proper tools do it or just trade or sell as is.


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## shakey gizzard

DAVE said:


> The race for the outer bearing goes in from the drive shaft side but unless you have some kind of puller that can get past the pinion enough to reach the cut outs to the race I don't see how you could remove it. The normal way to remove that race is to drive it out with a punch from the ring gear side but if carrier and pinion is still in place you won't be able to reach it and if you was able to remove the race you would not be able to install the new one without removing pinion gear. Sorry for not telling about race before, I just now thought of not being able to reinstall. Sometimes you can get away without replacing the race if it is not damaged. If the race has damage you probably will be able to see it with a flashlight. If you are planning on getting rid of truck I would not tear the differential apart. I would either bite the bullet and have an experience mechanic with proper tools do it or just trade or sell as is.



I guess I 'am not gunna know until I get in there(.Saturday) Lets say I get the bearing out , the new bearing in and the nut back to the exact spot. Whats my timeline until the badness?  Big thanks to everyones input.


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