Pinion Flange: Service and Repair

Special Tools:

Removal

1. CAUTION: Do not allow the calipers to hang from the brake hoses.

Note: Remove the rear wheels and the rear disc brake calipers to prevent brake drag during the drive pinion bearing preload adjustment.

Remove the rear disc brake calipers.





2. Index-mark the driveshaft flange and pinion flange to maintain initial balance during installation.





3. Remove the four bolts and disconnect the d rive shaft.
- Position the driveshaft aside.





4. Install a Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench on the pinion nut, and record the torque necessary to maintain rotation of the pinion through several revolutions.





5. CAUTION: After removing the pinion nut, discard it. Use a new nut for installation.

Use the special tool to hold the pinion flange while removing the pinion nut.





6. Index-mark the pinion flange and the drive pinion stem to maintain initial balance during installation.





7. Using the special tool, remove the pinion flange.

Installation

1. Lubricate the pinion flange splines.
- For vehicles with 4.0L SOHC and 4.0L EI with Traction-Lok(r) differentials and 5.0L, use Motorcraft Synthetic 75W140 Rear Axle Lubricant F1TZ-19580-B or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSL-M2C192-A.
- For vehicles with 4.0L SOHC and 4.0L EI with conventional differentials, use Thermally Stable Rear Axle Lubricant XY-80W90-QL or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSP-M2C197-A.





2. Note: Disregard the scribe marks if installing a new pinion flange.

Align the pinion flange with the drive pinion shaft.





3. Using the special tools, install the pinion flange.





4. CAUTION: Do not under any circumstance loosen the pinion nut to reduce preload. If it is necessary to reduce preload, install a new collapsible spacer and pinion nut.

CAUTION: Remove the special tool when taking preload readings with the Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench.

Use the special tool to hold the pinion flange while tightening the pinion nut.
- Rotate the pinion occasionally to make sure the pinion bearings seat correctly. Take frequent pinion bearing torque preload readings by rotating the pinion with a Nm (inch-pound) torque wrench.
- If the preload recorded prior to disassembly is lower than the specification for used bearings, then tighten the pinion nut to specification. If the preload recorded prior to disassembly is higher than the specification for used bearings, then tighten the pinion nut to the original reading as recorded.
- Refer to the torque specification for used pinion bearings.





5. CAUTION: Be sure to align the index-marks.

Connect the driveshaft.
6. Install the rear disc brake calipers.
7. Install the rear wheel and tire assemblies.
8. Refer to the specified axle lubricant type and fill capacity.