8.25 Axle swap - differences between auto/standard

[tester]

So I blew up a rear axle the other day, spiders ate the pinion. Autowrecker has an axle I can get for much cheaper than buying and setting up gears, but it comes out of an automatic. The driveshaft on the auto has a flange compared to my standard which has a yoke. I really dont want to have to swap the flange to the yoke as I would pretty much be setting up the gears anyway to set the pinion preload (or I could guesstimate, but id rather not), and may as well just get new gears at that point.

It "looks" like the auto is using 1310 vs the standard using 1330 ujoints (I could also be wrong).

Now question before I go and buy this, is this worth it? Should I get a different flange plate to mate up to my ujoint size, or should I get one of those 1310 to 1330 conversion ujoints, or should I just pull the pinion nut and swap the flange to the yoke?

 

[KJowner]

Check the ratio, there should be an aluminium tag under one of the cover bolts if it hasn't been lost over the last 20 years!

I don't think you will have the space to get an adaptor in, swapping the flange is probably the best option.

 

[duderz7]

Swapping flanges is really not a big deal. Basically what you'd be doing if the seal needs replaced. Takes a lot to crush the crush sleeve and change preload

 

[tester]

I should have stated that the gears are the same ratio.
Looks like ill just swap out the flange then if its not that big of a deal.

What kinda torque spec should I aim for when putting the pinion nut back on (also new nut or send it with the old nut)? Im seeing conflicting info online.

 

[24turbo]

I would go about 120-150Lb/ft and use blue loctite on the nut. Take a mental note of the turning resistance at the yolk before and after to ensure the crush sleeve didnt crush when you tightened the nut. If it did the pinion bearing preload will get much tighter and you will notice the difference in turning force. Tightening the pinion nut to that torque range shouldnt crush the sleeve, but there is never a guarantee.

 

[u2slow]

I would use rather get the conversion joint than disturb the yoke.

If I was disturbing the yoke (or changing pinion seal) I would order a crush-sleeve eliminator in advance. Otherwise, the success of retorquing a used crush sleeve on used bearings is definitely not guaranteed.

Our manual V6 KJ was 3.55 ratio. Auto V6 is 3.73.