Ring and Pinion
Rear Axle - 248RBI / PINION GEAR/RING GEAR/ TONE RINGREMOVAL
NOTE: The ring and pinion gears are service as a matched set. Never replace ring gear without replacing the matched pinion gear.
1. Remove differential from housing.
2. Place differential case in a suitable vise with soft metal jaw protectors. (Fig. 49)
3. Remove bolts holding ring gear to differential case.
4. Drive ring gear from the differential case with a soft hammer (Fig. 49).
5. Remove exciter ring from the differential case by slowly tapping the ring with a brass drift.
6. Mark pinion yoke and propeller shaft for installation alignment.
7. Disconnect propeller shaft from pinion yoke and tie propeller shaft to underbody.
8. Hold yoke with Yoke Holder 6719A and remove pinion yoke nut and washer.
9. Remove pinion yoke with Remover C-452 and Flange Wrench C-3281 (Fig. 50).
10. Remove pinion gear from housing (Fig. 51).
11. Remove pinion seal with a slide hammer or suitable pry bar.
12. Remove oil slinger, if equipped, and front pinion bearing.
13. Remove front pinion bearing cup with Remover D-158 and Handle C-4171 (Fig. 52).
14. Remove rear bearing cup with Remover D-162 and Handle C-4171 (Fig. 53).
15. Remove collapsible preload spacer (Fig. 54) from pinion gears.
16. Remove rear pinion bearing with Puller/Press C-293-PA and Adapters C-293-37 (Fig. 55).
17. Remove pinion depth shims from the pinion shaft and record thickness of the depth shims.
INSTALLATION
1. Apply Mopar Door Ease stick or equivalent lubricant to outside surface of bearing cups.
2. Install rear pinion bearing cup with Installer D-lll and Handle C-4171 (Fig. 56) and verify cup is seated.
3. Install front pinion bearing cup with Installer D-146 and Handle C-4171 (Fig. 57) and verify cup is seated.
4. Install front pinion bearing and oil slinger, if equipped.
5. Apply a light coating of gear lubricant on the lip of pinion seal. Install new pinion seal with an appropriate installer (Fig. 58).
NOTE: Pinion depth shims are placed between the rear pinion bearing cone and pinion gear to achieve proper ring and pinion gear mesh. If ring and pinion gears are reused, the pinion depth shim should not require replacement. Refer to Adjustments (Pinion Gear Depth) to select the proper thickness shim before installing rear pinion bearing cone.
6. Place the proper thickness pinion depth shim on the pinion gear.
7. Install rear pinion bearing on the pinion gear with Installer C-3095-A (Fig. 59).
8. Install a new collapsible preload spacer on pinion shaft (Fig. 60).
9. Install pinion gear into the housing.
10. Install yoke with Installer C-3718 and Yoke Holder 6719A (Fig. 61).
11. Install pinion yoke washer with concave surface against the yoke end.
12. Install a new nut on the pinion gear. Tighten the nut to 292 Nm (215 ft. lbs.) minimum. Do not over-tighten. Maximum torque is 447 Nm (330 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: Never loosen pinion gear nut to decrease pinion preload torque and never exceed specified preload torque. If preload torque is exceeded a new pinion nut and collapsible spacer must be installed.
13. Tighten pinion nut with Yoke Holder 6719A, and a torque wrench set at 447 Nm (330 ft. lbs.). Crush collapsible spacer until bearing end play is taken up. Slowly tighten the nut in 6.8 Nm (5 ft. lbs.) increments until the rotating torque is achieved. Measure the rotating torque frequently to avoid over crushing the collapsible spacer (Fig. 62).
14. Check bearing rotating torque with an inch pound torque wrench (Fig. 62). Pinion rotating torque should be:
Original Bearings - 1 to 3 Nm (10 to 20 inch lbs.).
New Bearings - 2.3 to 5.1 Nm (20 to 45 inch lbs.).
15. Invert the differential case in the vise.
16. Position exciter ring on differential case slowly and evenly tap the exciter ring into position with a brass drift.
17. Install ring gear and start two ring gear bolts to provide case-to-ring gear bolt hole alignment.
18. Invert differential case in the vise.
19. Install new ring gear bolts and alternately tighten to 176 Nm (130 ft. lbs.) (Fig. 63).
CAUTION: Never reuse ring gear bolts, the bolts can fracture causing extensive damage.
20. Install differential into the housing and verify gear mesh and contact pattern.
21. Install axle shafts.
22. Install differential cover and fill differential with gear lubricant.