Collapsible Spacer

REMOVAL
1. Raise and support the vehicle.
2. Mark and remove halfshafts.
3. Mark the propeller shaft and pinion yoke for installation reference.
4. Remove the propeller shaft from the yoke.
5. Rotate the pinion gear three or four times.
6. Measure the amount of torque necessary to rotate the pinion gear with a (inch lbs.) dial-type torque wrench. Record the torque reading for installation reference.
7. Using a short piece of pipe and Holder 6958 to hold the pinion yoke, remove the pinion nut and washer.
8. Use Remover C-452 and Wrench C-3281 to remove the pinion yoke.

Fig. 5:

9. Use Remover 7794-A and slide hammer to remove the pinion shaft seal.
10. Remove the front pinion bearing using a pair of suitable pick tools to pull the bearing straight off the pinion gear shaft. It may be necessary to lightly tap the end of the pinion gear with a rawhide or rub bear mallet if the bearing becomes bound on the pinion shaft.
11. Remove the collapsible spacer.

INSTALLATION
1. Install a new collapsible preload spacer on pinion shaft.
2. Install pinion front bearing.

Fig. 6:

3. Apply a light coating of gear lubricant on the lip of pinion seal. Install seal with Installer C-3972-A and Handle C-4171.
4. Install yoke with Installer C-3718 and Holder 6958.
5. Install the yoke washer and a new nut on the pinion gear. Tighten the nut to 298 Nm (220 ft. lbs.) minimum. Do not over-tighten. Maximum torque is 380 Nm (280 ft. lbs.).

CAUTION: Never loosen pinion gear nut to decrease pinion gear bearing rotating torque and never exceed specified preload torque. If preload torque is exceeded a new collapsible spacer must be installed. The torque sequence will then have to be repeated.

NOTE: If the spacer requires more than 280 ft. lbs. torque to crush, the collapsible spacer is defective.

6. Using yoke holder 6958, a short length of 1 inch, pipe, and a torque wrench set at 380 Nm (280 ft. lbs.), crush collapsible spacer until bearing end play is taken up.
7. Slowly tighten the nut in 6.8 Nm (5 ft. lbs.) increments until the rotating torque is achieved. Measure the rotating torque frequently to avoid over crushing the collapsible spacer.

Fig. 7:

8. Check rotating torque with an inch pound torque wrench. The torque necessary to rotate the pinion gear should be:
- Original Bearings - The reading recorded during removal, plus an additional 0.56 Nm (5 inch lbs.).
- New Bearings - 2 to 5 Nm (15 to 35 inch lbs.).
9. Install halfshafts.
10. Align marks made previously on yoke and propeller shaft and install propeller shaft.
11. Add lubricant if necessary. Fill the rear axle with Mopar(R) Synthetic Gear & Axle Lubricant 75W140 (MS-8985).
12. Lower vehicle.