Pattern opinions?

[ChiefUnlimited]

Hey all, just got done with my 4.10 install. Put in FMS gears, eaton posi, moser 31 splines, and new bearings & seals all around.

Got 28 in/lb on the pinion (a real bit€h with the FMS crush sleeve), used the .023 pinion shim that came out with the stock pinion as the rotunda tool indicated .021 (close enough by my estimate), and got .010 final backlash with the carrier shimmed and torqued in.

As far as I (and my friendly machinist with the arbor press and my local Ford tech with the bearing driver tools to loan) can tell, the pattern is good to go. I didn't care for the coast pattern going off the toe of the gear, but according to all the folks I talked to that's normal for FMS and I should concentrate on the drive side, which is looking solid.

I took it for a ride and like the paint says, it's a bit whiny when coasting, but quiet under power. At least I can't hear it over the stock exhaust. I tried a downshift on a hill (I know, the OD band suffers) and couldn't really hear the whine over the motor unless I really listened for it.

The real trouble is not hammering on this thing for a while until it breaks in. Hopefully that half-throttle-half-donut in the rain won't hurt anything...

Drive side
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/thumbs/IMG_04351.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/15378/ppuser/6927)
Coast side
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/thumbs/IMG_04221.JPG (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/15377/ppuser/6927)

[Marauderjack]

Once you begin crushing the sleeve how much torque does it take to continue crushing.....if you know??:confused:

I had to reseal my pinion nut and we gave it about 100 ft lbs after it snugged up without any additional crush....I hope!!??:D

[ChiefUnlimited]

How much torque? LOTS!!!

I had the driveshaft flange backed up with a piece of angle iron I cut for this purpose. I used a 2' breaker bar and another 2' cheater and was standing on the end sticking out from under the side of the car towards the end to get about a half a point's rotation on a 12 point socket. Took me the better part of an hour to get my finish torque. If the car was on a lift it would've been easier, but probably would've took a 4 foot cheater since you couldn't stand on it. That and the backup bar would be riding up under the floor pan or exhaust or something and might cause some havoc. I thought of using an impact gun, but didn't want to beat the bearings and all I have is a 1/2" electric which wouldnt've done the job anyway. Nothing but hand tools here.

I had 2 crush sleeves to use, the FMS one that came with the gearset (I used their pinion nut, too) and the one that came with the ratech rebuild kit. The FMS sleeve was a LOT bigger and thicker than the ratech, and was also fabricated from seamless tubing. In general, about everything from the ratech kit was junk. I ended up getting SKF bearings from NAPA instead of the Koyo/ratech bearings, just used those for setup. If I had used the ratech crush sleeve the pinion nut torque would've been a lot less I'm sure.

Not only that but the ratech carrier shims were junk too. They looked like bellville washers and a stack that should've added up to .220 was measuring .240 (not consistently either, depending how hard i squeezed) and this was after I sat there and filed all the burrs off.If you're considering this job, stay away from this stuff. I had to get a real set overnighted to me, Reider Racing and they're good stuff, very consistent and adjustable.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Chief, I'm glad to know someone else thinks Ratech makes crap. All of the carrier shims I ever got from them were so sharp I cut myself on them, and I had to hand deburr them to get them to stack properly. There is a machine shop on ebay that makes STACKABLE carrier shims that are made in USA and machined very very nicely and have good quality shim stock.

Your pattern, from the pic, looks good. You have a stripe of white towards the tip of the tooth and its not buried towards the root either. Centered well heel/to on the drive side. Button er up. Be sure to let us know if she runs quiet.