Dodge RAM 1500 1998 Owner's Manual page 133

3 - 52 FRONT AXLE - C205F
PINION GEAR/RING GEAR (Continued)
(7) Place pinion depth shim (Fig. 53) on the pinion
shaft.
Fig. 53 PINION DEPTH SHIM
1 - PINION DEPTH SHIM
2 - PINION GEAR
(8) Install rear pinion bearing with Installer 6448
and a press (Fig. 54).
Fig. 54 REAR PINION BEARING
1 - PRESS
2 - INSTALLER
3 - PINION GEAR
4 - REAR PINION BEARING
(9) Install new collapsible spacer onto the pinion
shaft (Fig. 55).
Fig. 55 COLLAPSIBLE SPACER
1 - COLLAPSIBLE SPACER
2 - REAR PINION BEARING
3 - PINION DEPTH SHIM
(10) Lubricate rear pinion bearing and install the
pinion gear in the housing.
(11) Install companion
C-3718 and Holder 6719.
(12) Install new pinion nut and tighten to 271
N·m (200 ft. lbs.) (Fig. 56).
(13) Using Holder 6719 and a torque wrench set at
475 N·m (350 ft. lbs.). Tighten pinion nut until bear-
ing end play is taken up.
(14) Slowly tighten the nut in 6.8 N·m (5 ft. lbs.)
increments until desired rotating torque is achieved.
Measure rotating torque frequently to avoid over-
crushing the collapsible spacer (Fig. 57). The pinion
rotating torque should be:
• Original Bearings: 1 to 2.5 N·m (10 to 20 in.
lbs.)
• New Bearings: 2.0 to 2.8 N·m (18 to 25 in. lbs.)
CAUTION: Never loosen pinion nut to decrease pin-
ion bearing rotating torque and never exceed spec-
ified preload torque. Failure to heed caution may
result in damage.
DR
flange with Installer