Pinion Depth set-up tool

[shawn]

I've set up a few ring and pinions. And on most new gear sets you buy, the piniom has the measurement stamped on the face of the gear, the measurement is the distance from the face of the gear to the center of the carrier bearings.

In the past I have used a parallel across the surfaces that the bearing caps bolt to, and measured with a depth gauge to the face of the pinion. but I have found that it doesn't get you as close as is needed. I think it is because the surfaces that the bearing caps bolt to are not neccessarliy the "real" center of the carrier bearing. I've been wondering if making a tool for this purpose would be helpful, of course a different too for each differnt axle.

I was thinking something like..........
Two pieces machined to the diameter of the carrier bearing(slighly smaller so it will slide on and off), cut in half (maybe), and a slot to set some sort of parrallel across the center that will get you the exact center of the carrier bearings to measure from.

Or, am I messed in the head? Is there already a better way?

[jeepsr4ever]

You gotta check out D.D. Machines tools.......very nice...for shortening a semi floater and for installing R&p's

[shawn]

Got any links? I couldn't find anything on the web.

[tufcj]

I got one from www.completeoffroad.com . Not cheap at $319, but MUCH better and easier than the $89 universal cheapie I had before. It works on the AMC20 and most Dana, Ford, and Mopar axles. The +/- number on most pinions I've seen is the variation from 0. You still need the old number to work from, of the tool to find out where 0 is.

Bob
tufcj

[Penguin]

Bless you for that link. That was great. I was looking for a bearing puller that grips around teh bearing. I have not been able to find it anywhere local and all of my web searches kept bringing up the other kind.
Hey shawn, where you at in Michigan? I am in St. Joe area.

[shawn]

Thanks for that link, that is what I am talking about, yeah a little pricey but worth it if you are doing many of them.

Penguin, I am in Livonia (kinda between Ann Arbor and Detroit). I am part or many off road organizations around Mich, like www.4Given4x4.com, and a mod on www.michiganjeepers.com, www.glfwda.com and a few others I won't bother posting here. Maybe I'll see you around on the trails.