Dodge R1500 1999 Service Manual page 417

(inner) pinion bearing onto pinion until bearing is fully seated.
Install preload shims on pinion. Install pinion in axle housing.
Install front (outer) pinion bearing and slinger (if equipped).
Install pinion flange on pinion.
2) Using holder and Pinion Flange Installer (C-3716), press
pinion flange onto pinion. Install washer and used pinion nut. Tighten
pinion nut to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.
3) Using INCH-lb. torque wrench, check torque required to
rotate pinion. This is pinion bearing preload. Ensure pinion bearing
preload is within specification. See AXLE ASSEMBLY SPECIFICATIONS.
4) If pinion bearing preload is not within specification,
adjust thickness of preload shims. Decrease shim thickness to increase
pinion bearing preload. Increase shim thickness to decrease pinion
bearing preload.
5) Remove nut and washer from pinion. Using holder and Pinion
Flange Remover (C-452), remove pinion flange from pinion. Ensure oil
seal surface in axle housing is clean.
6) Coat lip of oil seal with gear lube. Using appropriate oil
seal installer and handle, install oil seal.
7) Reinstall pinion flange, washer and NEW pinion nut. DO NOT
reuse pinion nut. Tighten pinion nut to specification. See TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS table. Recheck pinion preload. Proceed to RING GEAR
BACKLASH.
NOTE: Before performing ring gear backlash, note differential case
zero end play obtained during initial differential bearing
preload. See INITIAL DIFFERENTIAL BEARING PRELOAD.
Ring Gear Backlash
1) Install dummy bearings on each side of differential case
where differential bearings fit. Use Dummy Bearing (D-345) for 216 FBI
axle, or (D-343) for 248 FBI axle.
2) Install differential case in axle housing. Install bearing
caps on axle housing. Ensure bearing caps are installed in original
location. Install bearing cap bolts.
3) Mount dial indicator on axle housing with stem against
back of ring gear. Ensure pressure exists on stem of dial indicator.
Ensure ring gear and pinion are tightly meshed.
4) Pry between bearing cap and differential case. Pry
differential case as far to right as possible. Zero dial indicator.
5) Pry differential case to the left as far as possible, and
note reading on dial indicator. Repeat procedure several times to
ensure proper reading.
6) Measurement obtained determines preload shim thickness
required to eliminate ring gear backlash. Subtract reading obtained in
step 5) from differential case zero end play obtained during initial
differential bearing preload.
7) This is thickness of preload shims that must be installed
on ring gear side of differential case. These preload shims will be
referred to as the "ring gear backlash preload shims".
8) Remaining preload shims required to equal the differential
case zero end play will be referred as zero end play preload shims.
9) Remove dial indicator, bearing caps and differential case
from axle housing. Remove master bearings from differential case.
Install ring gear backlash preload shims on ring gear side of
differential case.
10) Install differential bearing on ring gear side of
differential case using appropriate bearing installer.
11) Install zero end play preload shims plus an additional .
015" (.38 mm) thick preload shim on differential case (opposite ring
gear side). Using bearing installer, install differential bearing on
differential case.
12) Install bearing races on differential bearings. If