<VV> torque wrench adapter for pinion spline

[NicolCS at aol.com]

(I haven't been following the thread exactly, so forgive me if I have this  a 
little wrong)
I gather that somebody wants to get set-up to do the preload on a  
differential pinion shaft. As others have stated, inch-pound beam torque  wrenches are 
out there.  I've seen them on ebay many times and they go for  $10 to $20.
 
The second leg of this thread asks about how to turn the MT pinion shaft  
without the KM tool.  
 
Here's how I do it.  
 
I purchased a 9/16 NC x 4 1/2" bolt and two nuts for same at Ace.  The  bolt 
head must be 15/16".  
 
Grind all but two opposing hex points off the head.  For those in Rio  Linda, 
you start with six points and end up with two opposing  points. (hehehe) The 
remaining points will engage the internal  spline on the pinion shaft.
 
 Now grind all the points off of one on the hex nuts so the OD fits  inside 
the ID of the pinion shaft.  Screw the ground-off nut almost all the  way onto 
the bolt, followed by the other (unmodified) hex nut and tighten  togehther. 
 
The ground-round nut acts as a centering sleeve in the end of the  pinion.  
Engage this adapter in your pinion spline and put your torque  wrench on the 
good nut. Rotate to check pinion torque.
 
BTDT,
Craig Nicol
 


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