Solid pinion spacer Setup

With a solid spacer (Ratech) what is the torque spec. on the nut?

Should you still run 20-25 in/lbs

Any draw backs to using one?

Thanks for any replies! :bow:

You will still need to maintain the proper setup bearing preload and running torque spec. I have had a downside to the Ratec solid sleeve but I seem to be the only one who has experienced this. My sleeve was manufactured ".007 out of parallel" from Ratec. This threw the pinion yoke off center by about .030" when the pinion nut was bound down. This in turn gave me horrible driveshaft vibrations. I chased my vibe problem for about 1 whole year till I figured out this mess. I'm not convinced the solid sleeve really makes anything more solid. This will probably start another arguement on this board but just understanding bearing preload and the way the system is designed I'm a skeptic.

Let the flames begin!!!!


Steve

Maybe i heard it from you a while back.. but I've heard the same problem about the solid sleeves.. thats why i stay away from them.. that and the shop i goto doesn't use em..

So then the outer pinion bearing was loose on the pinion too??? I guess I dont see how the spacer could make the Yoke out of ballance. If you look at most crush sleeves, they are not totaly true....
IMHO the solid spacer is the only way to fly if your putting significant pore to the rearend....
And yes the bearing preload does NOT change if your using a solid spacer(same as crush sleeve)

A space solid or crush wouldn't throw off the pinion shaft.

The preload stays the same but what do you torque the pinion nut to?

Originally posted by CODY BEHNKE
A space solid or crush wouldn't throw off the pinion shaft.

The preload stays the same but what do you torque the pinion nut to?

Once you go to a solid spacer you just need inough torque to keep the pinion tight.
I torqued mine to about 200lbs then double checked the rotational torque to make sure that the preload was still right.

You would still want 20-25 in/lb of drag on the pinion. Anything more and the pinion bearings will be shot in no time.

There's really only two advantages of using the solid spacer.
1) The bearing preload stays constant, and
2) They are reuseable

A bad solid spacer does not throw the pinion yoke "out of balance" It throws it off center.There is some assembly clearance from the male pinion spline to the female yoke spline. If the solid sleeve is not parallel, it will throw the yoke slightly off center by cocking it. Mine was about .030" off center when measured with a dial indicator out at the U joint saddles. I would also assume that the true bearing preload would be kind of screwed up and uneven but that's something one can't really measure.

Steve