Dodge 2001 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual page 211

3 - 138 REAR AXLE - 248RBI
PINION GEAR/RING GEAR/TONE RING (Continued)
(4) Install new pinion seal with an appropriate
installer (Fig. 58).
Fig. 58 Pinion Seal
1 - SPECIAL TOOL C—4171
2 - SPECIAL TOOL C—8108
NOTE: Pinion depth shims are placed between the
rear pinion bearing cone and pinion gear to achieve
proper ring and pinion gear mesh. If the ring and
pinion gears are reused, the pinion depth shim
should not require replacement. Refer to Adjust-
ments (Pinion Gear Depth) to select the proper
thickness shim before installing rear pinion bearing
cone.
(5) Place the proper thickness pinion depth shim
on the pinion gear.
(6) Install the rear bearing and oil slinger, if
equipped, on the pinion gear with Installer C-3095-A
(Fig. 59).
(7) Install a new collapsible preload spacer on pin-
ion shaft (Fig. 60).
(8) Install pinion gear in housing.
(9) Install yoke with Installer C-3718 and Yoke
Holder 6719 (Fig. 61).
(10) Install the yoke washer and a new nut on the
pinion gear. Tighten the nut to 292 N·m (215 ft. lbs.)
minimum. Do not over-tighten. Maximum torque is
447 N·m (330 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: Never loosen pinion gear nut to decrease
pinion gear bearing preload torque and never
exceed specified preload torque. If preload torque
is exceeded a new pinion nut and collapsible
spacer, if equipped, must be installed. The torque
sequence will have to be repeated.
(11) Tighten pinion nut with Yoke Holder 6719,
and a torque wrench set at 447 N·m (330 ft. lbs.).
Crush collapsible spacer until bearing end play is
taken up. Slowly tighten the nut in 6.8 N·m (5 ft.
lbs.) increments until the rotating torque is achieved.
Fig. 59 Rear Pinion Bearing
1 - PRESS
2 - INSTALLATION TOOL
3 - DRIVE PINION GEAR
4 - DRIVE PINION GEAR SHAFT REAR BEARING
Fig. 60 Collapsible Preload
1 - COLLAPSIBLE SPACER
2 - SHOULDER
3 - PINION GEAR
4 - OIL SLINGER
5 - REAR BEARING
BR/BE