<VV> Re: Pinion Preload

[BobHelt@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/17/04 2:00:00 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
vairologist@juno.com writes:

> Smitty says:  never thought I'd see the day when I would challenge
> anything Bob says but I gotta go on the soap box with this.  In the first
> place the pinion preload is not set on top of the carrier preload.  It is
> the other way around. The carrier bearings are in a free and unloaded
> condition when Pinion is set.  Torsional resistance is so slight it could
> not be measured with a tool.  Then the carrier bearing preload is added
> to the pinion preload and finally the backlash is set while maintaining
> the preload.
> 

Oh OH, Smitty,
I'm afraid that I also have to tell you to go back and read your Shop Manual. 
The procedure tells you to first set the preload on the side bearings. Then 
set the preload on the pinion bearing. So when measuring the pinion preload, 
you are also measuring the side bearing preload. Thus my statement that the 
pinion preload is set on top of the side bearing preload is absoutely correct.
Regards,
Bob Helt