Pinion play
 

Just a few questions about rear diff in my 93 automatic W250. There is play in the pinion, I'm thinking new bearings and seal. Can I just remove the pinion and replace everything and put the same shims and crush sleeve back in?
And the rear output on the transfer case is loose, not a lot of movement , and I understand there is supposed to be some but hoe much? And can I just tighten down the nut to get rid of it?

I'd give a twist on the nut on the TC. Helped me several times. Of course, now my TC is whining, but I think that's totally unrelated. ;)

How about the rear differential? Can I just tighten down the pinion ? Or do I pull it apart and replace the bearings seal and crush sleeve?
Is it a 70 or a 70U.

hey-Hey!!!,
There is no crush sleeve; the pinion bearings are set with shims. I just rebuilt the 3.07 rear I installed in my 1990 and it took the same shims it was originally built with to set it properly. That also went for the carrier bearings...:) The Master re-bearing kit ran me about $170 from The Gearbox in Livonia....all Timkens, new seal and pattern compound.

It is a D70-U.
cheers,
Douglas

The rear is a 70U. They do not use a crush sleeve, there are shimmed.

How much play is there?

Usually it is the larger inner bearing that goes bad first. If you replace the pinion bearings you should be OK re-using the shims for the big bearing. They are under the race in the housing, and adjust the depth of the pinion in the ring gear. You could be off by the variance between the new bearing from the old one, but should be within a 0.001" or 2. I would not sweat that at all on used gears. Re-shim the smaller bearing to get the right pre-load on the pinion bearings.

Be sure the check the carrier bearings while they're out.

Oops i am a slow typer.

My plan is to put the 3.55 gears back in, in the spring. So am I ok to tighten up the pinion a bit to get me through until then?

I appreciate all the help

How much play is there?

hey-Hey!!!,
Just keep in mind that if the play is the result of bearing wear that this wear is proceeding at an exponentially increasing rate. From new this is also true, but at this point the curve is quite flat. Once the wear has gotten to the point of wrecking the design clearance it proceeds remarkably quickly.
cheers,
Douglas

There is very little, about the same as a 205 transfer case.