Im installing my 4.10's in the oncoming weeks. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions for me. I think it will be a pretty straight forward swap. Its in really good condition as is.
One thing - if you cannot get the abs sensor out to get the axle out, don't break it.
You can notch out a little section of the axle to give you enough clearance to get it.
I hear people breaking them all the time, and they're not cheap. This worked for us, and it works fine.
I've read this before, but wouldnt that put the axles out of balance?
BTW, there is a ton of information and knowledge about the gear swap on this site. So take a look.
And, are you doing this swap yourself? If so, I assume you know that you will need some specialized or heavy tools (dial caliper, inch pound torque wrench, press, bearing/race driver, etc.).
If you are doing it yourself, I have once suggestion on tightening the pinion to preload spec. Get a friend to help. Have him under the car setting the breaker bar. Then you position yourself in the passenger (rear) wheel hub. From here, you can get the leverage you need to set the preload on the pinion nut. It takes a lot of force.
I'm sure I will think of others, just let us know if you are doing the install yourself.
1) Plan on buying the sensors. Doubt you'll get them out w/o breaking. You can't grind the sensors (there's a copper winding coil just under the plastic) and I'd be nevous about grinding on the ABS ring itself and throwing off the calibration/sensor pickup and then you'll have to buy the rings after all and pay to have them put on.
2) Buy FORD gears!!!!!!! Much easier to set up. And buy a $20.00 set of micrometers (instead of just using calipers) at Harbor Freight so you can actually get some accurate measurements. Auto Zone loans a bearing driver kit. You'll need access to a press. Harbor Freight also has a dial indicator and base for about $35.00).
3) Take your time and follow the www.corral.net instructions.
4) Measure existing preload and backlash before pulling it apart.
5) Setting the pinion head depth by measuring the existing pinion head (assuming FORD) vs the new (FORD) head and shimming to reach the same total does work.
6) Mark everything (shims, bearing caps, bearing races, etc) left/right and top/bottom.
7) You'll need a piece of bar stock/angle iron you can drill and bolt to the pinion flange to hold it while you tighten the pinion nut to approx 200 ft/lbs to crush the sleeve.
8) Pinion preload is tricky w/o a torque wrench. (Should be 16-29 in/lb for new bearings). (And a torque wrench will be hard to find). If you can find an accurate spring scale (like for measuring fish), you put a bolt in the pinion flange, put the spring scale on it, and pull down. You want tighten the pinion/crush the sleeve enough to have a resistance of 16-29 in/lbs. The driveshaft flange bolt is 1.75" from the pinion centerline. 1.75" x 10 lbs of resistance = 17.5 in/lbs. You have and acceptable preload!