Flexor delivered to me a new Genuine 5.71 8" gearset with basically new bearings and a solid collar and a Detroit Soft Locker. The new carrier bearings can be pressed on but, if you're lazy, you can coax them on with kinetic energy. They went on tight.

This is the way Flexor delivered it to me. An unusual pinion seal. No need to take the seal out as I will re-use this outer pinion bearing.

I measured the shims that came off the pinion and the solid collar.....86 on the pinion and 52 on the collar. I like using the mics as they offer accurate repeatable measurements.

I assembled and tightened the pinion nut down cautiously and had about 5 in/lb of pinion pre-load as measured by the pendulum style torque bar.

Not my favorite ring and pinion brand to use by a long shot but these are some of the typical unique markings to identify a Genuine.

Looks like they ran a pattern at the factory.....some rust on it from the salty trip from India I think.

The ring gear was a snug fit onto the Detroit case and was easily pulled in place by the bolts (with a tap from the light-weight hammer).

I cleaned the threads with starting fluid and applied some blue Loctite on the 10 ring gear bolts. 70 ft/lbs.

I set the backlash in the 5~8 thou area while making sure the carrier pre-load was very tight.

The bright yellow paint that Randy supplys makes it easy to see the pattern.

I use this easy to turn bar with a handle loosely attached to the flange.

Drive side....86 thou.... Too deep.....

coast side. 086

Drive side .076" still deep

coast 076

Drive side .066".......close

coast 066

Drive side now with .056"..... backlash 8 thou

coast. 056

After consulting with Flexor, it was decided to try going deeper. So I started way deep.....at .117"(adjusted value) driveside above.

coast .117

drive .096

coast .096

drive .086

coast .086

I added .007" to the last set of painted pics for a final adjusted pinion value of .093 with .007 BL. I did not want the nut to loosen up under even the most extreme situation...so I used the equalizer.

I cleaned the threads prior to using the blue loctite. Denting the nut was not required because of this.

Flex did not have a dust shield on his flange....and I guess it's really not needed especially in this Arizona type of climate. The seal is a bit unique.....I kinda like it. There's the part number if you do too.

One 3rd ready for pick-up. Pinion pre-load is right at about 5 in/lb.....carrier bearing pre-load set extra tight(was not measured but felt like 100 ft/lbs) to minimize ring gear deflection under high loads.