Replacing an 8.25 pinion yoke

Surprisingly nothing to be found on this topic, at least on a later model. Anyway, for whatever reason my pinion yoke has become stretched between the "tabs" for the u-joint and needs to be replaced.

I understand I can simply mark the pinion nut in relation to the threaded shaft, replace the yoke, and re-install the nut back to the marked position. Anything else to be mindful of?

Should I use a new nut? Loctite? Should I replace the pinion seal? I want to make sure this is done right... (this is a 2001, btw)

I would use blue loctite on the nut. Make sure the new yoke matches the length of the old one. There are two slightly different lengths available for them, about a 1/4" or so. Marking the nut would be fine to do. And might as well get a new seal while its out.

Subscribing, I have the same issue with my 8.25...

Personally I'd think a new nut would be a good idea...

As far as seal replacement goes, is that just an out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new sort of deal or does that have anything to do with bearing preload? (maybe a stupid question, but I felt worth asking...)

The 8.25 uses a crushed collar for setting pinion bearing preload.

You don't need thread lock, or a new nut.

Replace the seal with the new yoke. Make sure you lubricate said seal, then slide the new yoke on (orientation to a specified mark is not important).

Tighten the nut as tight as you can get it. My bet is that you can't hold the yoke with one hand, and pull the 125lbs with the other to start crushing the slieve
So if you can get 50-60lbs on it, it's good. You should not be able to move the yoke in/out or side/side. Preload is in the 30 inch/lb range for new bearings. Probably 10-20 for used bearings.

You do need to make to make sure that you have the right preload on the pinion. I didn't 10 years ago on my 94, and took 2 years to destroy a ring & pinion set.

I'd use a new nut, and no reason to not put in a new seal.

Right^. So best thing to do is make a mark and lign it back up unless you got a rotating tourqu wrench laying around. I would also recommend a new nut as well as replacing the seal.

marking the nut is in no way guaranteed to get the preload right. The new pinion yoke may have been machined with a few thousandths more or less depth and that is enough to seriously skew the preload.

Me, I crank it down as tight as I can get it with the wheels chocked. I have 3.55 gears in the diffs though so they are essentially not worth anything, if I ruin an axle I get another at the junkyard for $100-130 or $50 on the forums.