Ok last season I had a very expensive set of 9-bolt gears ruined by a mechanic who didnt know how to set them up. The edges of the teeth are all tore up. The gears wine all the time and the whole car viberates at Hwy speeds.
I am going to do it myself this time. I do not have any of the stock shims so:
1. How exactly do I set the pinion depth. And please be more specfic than saying use a depth tool. I have no specs on this.
2. How exactly do you set backlash? The spec I have is .006-.010 in.

I am not understanding how to set the pinion depth at all. Exactly what tools do I need? I read a few how to's but I am still confused on pinion depth.
I am never taking my car to a mechanic again!!!

 

pinion depth is measured from the CL of the rear, off the bearing parting line to the end or head of the pinion. i use a home made tool for a datum and a 2-3 depth mic. the pinion depth should be etched o nthe pinion. back lash is set by moving shims from side to side, you don't change the total shim thickness just the arrangement. all this ought to be covered in your manual or you need a new manual.

 

Go here: http://www.tavia.com/05001_instructions.html
This may give you a little more insight.

 

anyone with experience with 9-bolts wanna give a hand? I know the 9-bolt gear sets from difsolutions dont have any stampings on them for pinion depth.

 

use the shim that was on the old pinion and start with it, check contact pattern and make any adjustments you think you need.

 

When he tightened the nut on the pinion, did he have the cover off and did he use a paint or dye of some sort to check how the crown teeth meet up with the pinion? If not then that definintely would have messed things up quick. The guy who did the bearings in mine counted the amount of tread available protruding from the pinion and then set it to that as a starting point when he put the new bearings in. Once he did the paint method, he went in quite a bit more tightening wise. he said that is the best way to do it.

 

ede I dont have any of the stock shims...when he did the rear he threw them out....thats why I stated that I was starting from scratch. Someone has to have some idea what the Mounting Distances should be then I can subtract the head of the pinion.

 

anyone have this spec? Anyone have the shop manual for an 89 that can help me?