Re: Possible to tighten spider gears on Ford 8-inch?

The correct way to adjust the side bearing preload/backlash is to back off
the right side spanner nut and run the ring gear up untill there is no
backlash between the ring and pinion. Tighten the right spanner nut until
you achieve about .005 to .010" of backlash - it's im****tant to use a dial
indicator for this step. This will set your side bearing preload pretty
close to what it needs to be (new bearings can go tighter than used).

Most major centres will have some sort of "gear store" (I can't see this
being a Canajun phenomenon) and should be able to find you a nesting kit.
Much of the play is likely from a worn differential (spider) pin - usually
available separately for just a few bucks. Get a new lock bolt while
you're
at it. Another area subject to a lot of wear is the axle splines/side
gears.
On the axles, check for knife edging of the splines... there's usually an
unworn section to compare the load bearing surfaces to.

HTH

Jim Warman
abjectly bored in an Edmonton hotel room
mechanic@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Doc" <docsavage20Remove_This_To_Reply@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:Kv75c.3701$GQ3.3289@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> I took up some of the slack in a '66 era Ford 8" using the adjusting
nuts
on
> the main ring gear carrier. What I did was adjust it to where there's
just
a
> barely perceptable amount of "slop" between the main pinion and the ring
> gear with no wiggle in the ring gear carrier and the whole thing turns
silky
> smooth by hand.   However, there's still some slop in the rear end. I
assume
> it must be in the differential or "spider" gears.  Is it possible to
tighten
> these or once they're worn, is that it?
>
> Does anyone make replacement gears/bearings for these rear ends?
>
>