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Pinion Nut Removal Question
I need to remove the rear pinion-nut from a 3500 4x4 Dodge diesel.
The truck is new enough to have 24-valve and is a 5-speed. Two respected mechanics have attempted to get the nut loose, and both have failed/given up. I have an advantage that they did not have in an inch-drive impact-wrench and plenty of air. The plan is to get the wheels off the ground, before hammering on the nut with the impact. I was told that 1-3/16" was the socket size; is this correct?? Are we likely to snap off the pinion, or bust some gears, when we put the impact to it?? A 1/2" impact won't even phase it, neither will a breaker-bar and cheater. Any suggestions, or warnings, would be appreciated. |
The nut is really tight, I changed out my gears and I am thinking i put it up to 400 or so ft pounds, I used a 4 to 1 multplier to take it off and on.
A 1/2" inpacked wount move it , hope this helps jman |
A little 500 ftpounder will get it off. Might have to machine the socket down a little though.
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Yeah, finding a socket with thin enough walls to fit is a b-word. I borrowed one, and I can't remember the size. A decent 3/4" impact gun will do it. And no, you shouldn't break anything doing it that way. I've done it myself that exact way, and nothing was damaged.
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The D80 pinion should have an 1 7/8" nut......you will have to have the OD of the socket machined down about .040" (typical....since the wall thickness of sockets vary) to fit into the yoke. Installation torque is 500 ft/lbs but will usually take much more than that to remove an old nut. Make sure to properly brace the yoke when attempting to remove the nut since a 1" gun hammering away can damage the teeth on the ring and pinion. I have still had to add heat to those nuts a few times even with using a 1400 ft/lb 1" drive gun.....and remember, don't ever re-use the old nut....it will only self-lock properly one time - then it is toast....they are a one-shot deal.
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When we did the pinion seal in my truck, we left the wheels on the ground, e-braked. Put a pipewrench on the yoke and had it so the handle was contacting the ground. Put the 3/4" ratchet on (no impacts for use :(), and I proceeded to jump on the end of the handle to break the nut free. Without the pipe wrench, it would just rock the truck back and forth.
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This socket-milling-down business sounds like what I usually get into when I volunteer to help a friend.
I don't know the whole story; but, he poured some kind of rear-end flushing liquid in the rear-end, flushed/cleaned it out, then added some high-performance nonsense lubricant to the rear-end. A day, or two, later, the pinion seal starts leaking, big time, pouring. He has had two highly qualified mechanics attempt to replace the seal, and neither have been able to get the nut off. I hate to tackle something everyone else has give up on, and not show them that I can get the job done. If push comes to shove, we can pull the axles and remove the carrier; then we can get serious. Thanks. |
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