Honda 2005 FOURTRAX FOREMAN TRX500 TM Service Manual page 311

FRONT DRIVING MECHANISM (FM/FE models)
It is important to
turn the pinion gear
while tightening the
bolts. If the ring
gear shim is too
thick, the gears will
lock after only light
tightening.
Install the differential assembly into the gear case.
Install the case cover and tighten the bolts in several
steps until the cover evenly touches the gear case.
Then, while rotating the pinion gear, tighten the
bolts to the specified torque in a crisscross pattern
in several steps.
TORQUE: 10 mm bolt: 49 N m (5.0 kgf-m, 36 Ibfft)
8 mm bolt: 25 N m (2.5 kgf m, 18 Ibfft)
Rotate the ring gear several times in both directions
of rotation.
Check the gear tooth contact pattern through the oil
filler hole.
The pattern is indicated by the Prussian Blue
applied to the pinion.
Contact is normal if the Prussian Blue is transferred
to the approximate center of each tooth, but slightly
to the heel side and to the flank side.
If the patterns are not correct, remove and change
the pinion shim with one of an alternate thickness.
Replace the pinion shim with a thicker one if the
contact pattern is too high, toward the face.
DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY
RIGHT SHIM
10 mm BOLTS
CASE COVER 8 mm BOLTS
NORMAL:
HEEL
FACE
TOE
FACE
FLANK FLANK
Drive side Coast side
TOO HIGH:
PINION GEAR SHIM
FACE
FACE
Drive side Coast side
16-18