​​​​​​In the short of it, one gets a tiny bit of (generally) yellow (special) paint and paints the center if the gear the piņion gear interacts with. (Spider gear?) My paint came in a kit or was an option I chose.

Rotating the wheels shows the point of contact between the gears. One aims, generally, for the center of the gears. Adjusting, (tightening ONLY, NEVER loosening,) the crush nut, until you are spot on.

There are some advisories on UTubes to get more specific about details of rotational direction, load or not on the wheels, which I do not recall.

 

I was just quoted $3k to do F&R rings/pinions and all the bearings etc. I'd love to do this one myself, but my understanding is that this is outside most shade-tree's expertise.

 

I also just learned that I won't be doing that or any of the other fun stuff I've been planning (lift, radio, etc.) because I'll be having surgery next week. Yippee.

 

oh boy, for what

 

I know the gist of it, I just don't how to read patterns. The big gear is the ring gear. Spiders are in the differential assembly itself. I have friends that can do this in their sleep that will be glad to come over though.... and I can make my own video, LOL.

 

Yes, it is. UNTIL, you read about it, and do it.
The seals and bearings are easy. Adjusting, indeed, even turning the crush washer adjust nut, is not easy. You will at least need a cheater bar. Some patience and perseverance.

What did Yoda say? ~ "There is no try, only do, or do not do." Sorry. If Joe can, Amy can, thus, I can. YOU can. But it's a personal choice. My favorite book as a 4-5 year old was, "The Lil Blue Engine That Could." Maybe I don't KNOW how, but, I can LEARN how. It's really all in a cpl-3 UTubes. Honest.

 

This doesn't look/seem legit.

 

 

I built a Ford Lightning today and it was about 5k cheaper than the gas F150 with the same specs before the tax credit. I need to see how they do towing and off road before I consider one though. It's going to take a lot to unstick 7k lbs.

 

> GRF150;
Attempted to open rear diff today and socket busted off, 1/2" and then broke a 3/8" ...cheap stuff.
Box says: "made in Sri Lanka"on socket set.

Well, it looks like what broke was an adaptor, usually caused by a larger ratchet size than the socket is,which is usually a bad way to go,and a way for cheap'o tool sellers to SAY you are getting X Y & Z, but you are not.

Still, the torque on these is not unusually high. A cheap set should have done the job. This leaves me with 2 random thoughts.
1 -I once saw a guy turning the bolt the wrong way. (No offence intended.)
2 - At one time your dif cover leaked and someone overtightened it. This can sometimes ruin the mating surface of the sheetmetal cover. It causes local distortions where each bolt goes. The covers are often ruined this way. They are actually to delicate to be casual with. The PO may have been ham-fisted.

To my mind, it still beats new car payments. And like they said on 6 Million Dollar Man, "We can fix him. We can make him better [than he was before.]