Pinion Nut
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 215
Likes: 7
From: Chardon Ohio
Pinion Nut
Hi All. New member here. Been lurking for a few months getting info on the restoration I'm doing on my 70/350/Coupe. I've got the whole rear torn out....trailing arms, fuel tank and differential. I'm in the process of cleaning up the differential and repalcing the seals. Question I have is what is the pinion nut torqued to? I had a 3ft breaker bar on it tonight and still couldn't get it loose. Do I need to heat it or did I not catch that its reversed theaded? Any input would be appreciated!!! Really could not be doing any of this without this site....THANKS TO ALL!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
Really really tight. Doesn't really have a torque spec, it's tightened to achieve a rolling torque for the pinion. If you're just replacing the seal, mark the end of the shaft and the nut and the yoke so they can be put back in the same place. An impact wrench works well to get it loose.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 215
Likes: 7
From: Chardon Ohio
Yup marked the nut shaft and yoke per other threads and tried the impact wrench. Doused it in PB blast and let it sit tonight. Is it ok to torch it? Is the nut one of those nylon self locking ones that would be ruined with a torch?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,233
Likes: 657
From: Thunder Bay
Really really tight. Doesn't really have a torque spec, it's tightened to achieve a rolling torque for the pinion. If you're just replacing the seal, mark the end of the shaft and the nut and the yoke so they can be put back in the same place. An impact wrench works well to get it loose.
Every time I do one of these, I'm surprised at how tight they are. One of the problems is holding the yoke from turniing while you apply torque to the nut. Last time I did one, I made a tool to hold the yoke. Its a piece of 1/4" steel plate with a hole in the middle large enough to put the socket for the pinion nut through. Arount that are four holes which I use to bolt it to the pinion yoke. Welded to that is a four foot bar. When that is bolted to the yoke, I put a 1/2" drive socket on the nut and slip a four foot pipe over the handle of the wrench. That will apply enough torque to loosen it.
If you use an impact wrench, you need a good one. My general purpose impact wrench won't usually do it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 215
Likes: 7
From: Chardon Ohio
Thanks for the info guys. I just put the u joint straps back on the pinion and slip my trusty breaker pipe under the straps where the u joint would be. I just need an extra set of hands to hold the pipe while I crank the 1/2 drive socket with another breaker bar.....
