<VV> Differential setup

[Smitty]

Recognizing that way under 1% of you are ever going to tackle rebuilding a differential, this is for the few that will.  I have rebuilt several before that worked out well so I was surprised that I couldn’t get a good tooth contact pattern after installing new seals and bearings.  Using the revised pattern supplied by Mike Dawson was no help either.  Time after time the pattern suggested thinner shim behind the rear pinion bearing.  My own logic went along with that but after getting down to no shim at all I knew the problem was elsewhere.
I had been fooled before by thinking the stator shaft was fully seated into its bore along with the bearing race so I had been extra careful when installing it.  I.t had gone in smoothly and come to a good solid stop.  I was very reluctant to believe it was not all the way in.  On my 11 th diff disassembly I placed a large steel block on the floor with a short section of pipe the diameter to match the machined boss around the stator shaft..  stood the case up on top of that, and with a 18 inch brass punch, proceeded to whale on the edge of the bearing race with a 3/4 pound hammer.  Did it move?  I sure hoped so.  Hard to tell as I was only looking for a few thousandths of an inch.  Put it all together with a factory shim, and set it up and I had an acceptable tooth contact pattern.  Why am I waiting all this?  Just hoping tp save some other poor schmuck from going through what I have been through.  
BTW, I talked to several about what they used to paint the gear tooth for a reading.  Some had a wild and exotic formula to recommend.  i used Rustoleum.  White would be ideal.  I used light gray because it is what I had.  It worked very well.
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