Assembly and Adjustment Notes

After rear axle disassembly and component replacement, pinion depth, pinion bearing preload, side bearing preload, and ring gear and pinion backlash must be adjusted to specifications, and proper ring gear and pinion tooth contact must be established to ensure proper operation. If existing ring gear and pinion, pinion bearings and housing are reused, pinion depth can be properly established using the shim removed during disassembly. However, if any of these components are replaced, pinion depth must be measured and adjusted prior to axle housing assembly.
When reusing ring gear and pinion assemblies, backlash should be adjusted to value measured during disassembly to maintain the established tooth contact pattern. If ring gear and pinion are replaced, examine markings on gears to ensure a matched set is being installed, and note the type of gears supplied for replacement in order to ensure proper tooth contact pattern adjustment. Klingelnberg gears are generally stamped with the letter ``K,'' and the tooth height and tooth back remain constant. Gleason type gears are generally stamped with the letter ``H'' or ``F,'' and the gear teeth are higher and wider on the outside than the inside. Do not install gear sets unless matching marks are the same, and also note modification numbers stamped or etched on the pinion which indicate, in one hundredths of a millimeter, necessary modifications to the nominal pinion depth setting.