What is the torque for the pinion nut on a 68 Camaro 10-bolt rear end?

Answer 1

There are a couple different methods to correctly torque the nut on the pinion. One way that I have used in the past with excellent results,is to tighten the pinion nut real good and snug just as you feel the crush sleeve begin its resistance,and then you actually place an "inch pound" torque wrench(Dial or Bar style tends to be a little quicker and more exacting than a click style) with correct socket on pinion nut and rotate the pinion by way of the smaller torque wrench (ring gear and carrier removed).If the inch-pound torque wrench doesn't click before the pinion rotates(inch-pound wrench set approx @12-15),then snug the pinoin nut up with your 1/2 drive impact more.Tighten nut in SMALL increments.Dont overshoot it,other wise you run the risk of wasting the one time use crush sleeve and burning up the pinion bearings.If say the wrench clicks @10,11,12ish before the pinion rotates,but if set @ 15 or so,and the pinion rotates before the torque wrench clicks, you are in the right area.What you are doing is measuring the amount of "rotational drag" on the pinion with the inlb torque wrench.Another way is if the crush sleeve is replaced with a solid spacer,the nut can be torqued down with a regular pop wrench to about 60-75 ft/lbs.