Short summary first: the pinion-bearing job sets how the pinion gear meshes with the ring gear. If bearings wear, the pinion moves, causing noise, looseness, leaks and fast gear wear. This job replaces the pinion bearings/races and resets pinion preload and pinion depth/backlash so the ring-and-pinion mesh is correct.

Theory — how it works (beginner-friendly)
- The differential ring-and-pinion is like a small gearbox: the pinion (small gear on the input shaft) drives the big ring gear bolted to the differential carrier. Proper operation requires:
- Pinion depth: the pinion gear must sit the correct distance into the ring gear teeth (think how zipper teeth must mesh deeply enough to interlock but not jam).
- Backlash: a small clearance between mating teeth to allow oil and thermal expansion (like the small play between two meshing gears on a bicycle freewheel).
- Bearing preload: tapered bearings are slightly "squeezed" so the pinion doesn’t flop under load — similar to applying a light clamp on a pencil so it still spins but doesn’t wiggle.
- If bearings are worn, the pinion moves, causing incorrect depth/backlash → noisy gear whine, chipped teeth, metal in oil, seal leaks.

Components (every relevant part, brief description)
- Pinion gear (pinion): small input gear on the pinion shaft that meshes with ring gear.
- Pinion shaft / journal: the shaft that carries the pinion and inner bearing races.
- Pinion bearings: typically tapered roller bearings (inner and outer) supporting the pinion.
- Bearing races (inner race/outer race): hardened rings the rollers run on.
- Crush sleeve or shims/shim pack: used to set pinion preload and sometimes depth (some designs use a crush sleeve that crushes to set preload; others use adjustable shims).
- Pinion nut (or locking collar / lock tab): secures pinion assembly and is used to apply preload (may be staked or tabbed).
- Pinion yoke / flange: connects driveshaft to pinion.
- Pinion seal (front seal): seals gear oil from leaking at the pinion.
- Ring gear (crown wheel): large gear bolted to differential carrier that the pinion drives.
- Differential carrier (carrier or pumpkin): housing that holds ring gear, spider gears, side gears and carrier bearings.
- Carrier bearings & races: bearings that support the carrier in the housing; carrier position affects backlash.
- Carrier shims or adjusters: set lateral position of the carrier to adjust backlash.
- Carrier bearing caps / bolts: hold carrier bearings in place; must be torqued/reinstalled in original positions.
- Spider gears / side gears / thrust washers: internal differential gears.
- Axle shafts / C-clips (if applicable): remove to drop carrier on some designs.
- Housing / axle housing / cover / gasket: outer structure and cover that holds gears and oil.
- Filler & drain plugs, breather: small parts for oil management.
- Misc: bolts, lock tabs, shims, seal retainers.

Tools & consumables (minimum)
- Factory service manual for MF35 (for exact torque, shim thicknesses, specs) — essential.
- Basic hand tools: sockets, breakers, ratchet, extensions, wrenches.
- Torque wrench (right range for differential nuts/bolts).
- Dial indicator with magnetic base (for backlash).
- Bearing puller / slide hammer / press or arbor press.
- Pinion bearing driver set or large sockets and soft mallet.
- Bearing race driver or installer.
- Seal puller / installer.
- Gear marking compound (Prussian blue or dedicated sealant marking paste).
- Feeler gauges / shim gauge / micrometer or calipers.
- Marker, scribe, chalk for part identification.
- Punch, filing tools, grinder (to un-stake pinion nut).
- Dead blow hammer, brass drift.
- Clean rags, solvent, parts trays, magnet for metal.
- New parts: pinion bearings & races, crush sleeve or pinion shims (if your design uses shims), pinion seal, pinion nut (replace if damaged), ring-and-pinion if worn, carrier bearings/seals (if needed), gasket or RTV, gear oil (correct spec).
- Safety gear: gloves, eye protection, jack stands, blocks, drip pan.

Preparation & safety
- Park tractor on level surface, block wheels front and rear.
- Chock front wheels; disconnect battery if needed.
- Support the rear with appropriate jack and heavy-duty jack stands under axle housing/welds — never rely on a jack alone.
- Drain differential gear oil into a pan; dispose properly.
- Work in a clean, well-lit area. Keep fasteners/parts labeled and organized.

Step-by-step procedure (typical workflow — refer to MF35 manual for exact details and torque specs)
1) Inspect symptoms and plan:
- Confirm noise (gear whine increases with speed vs load), play in driveshaft, metallic particles in oil. Note initial measurements if possible.

2) Remove external components:
- Remove rear wheels, brake drums, brake backing plate or hardware as required to access axle ends.
- Remove axle shafts or C-clips if your MF35 requires to drop the carrier. Keep parts labeled and in order.
- Remove differential cover (or axle housing cover) and drain oil first if not already done. Observe for metal flakes.

3) Mark and remove ring gear & carrier (if necessary):
- If you intend to remove the ring gear from the carrier to press bearings/races, mark the orientation of the ring gear to the carrier (matchmark bolts).
- Remove carrier bearing caps (keep caps in original orientation).
- Remove carrier assembly from housing. Note shims and their positions — do not mix up sides.

4) Remove pinion yoke / nut and flange:
- Remove driveshaft yoke or flange. The pinion nut may be staked/tabbed — grind or punch the stake to free it.
- Hold the pinion flange while loosening nut. Remove nut, yoke, and seal.
- Slide pinion out enough to access bearing(s) — you may need a puller. For many pinion assemblies, the inner bearing race remains in the housing.

5) Remove bearings and races:
- Use a bearing puller or press to remove pinion bearings and races. Keep track of which races came from pinion vs housing; they are matched to the housing if reused (but replace with new races when installing new bearings).
- Remove crush sleeve or shim pack. If crush sleeve, it will usually be destroyed upon removal — replace it.

6) Clean and inspect:
- Clean all parts in solvent. Inspect ring and pinion teeth for pitting, scoring, or chipped teeth. Check bearing races for spalling/pitting.
- Inspect carrier for cracks, spider gears, and bearings.
- If ring or pinion shows significant wear/damage, replace the gear set — do not attempt to reuse badly worn gears.

7) Install new bearing races & bearings:
- Drive new races into housing using appropriate driver; keep them square. Do not hammer on rollers.
- Press new pinion bearings onto pinion shaft: install inner race onto pinion, then outer bearing. Use a press or heat outer race carefully (no direct flame) to 120–150°C if thermal fit is required — follow bearing instructions.

8) Reassemble pinion with new preload device:
- Install new crush sleeve or correct shim stack per design.
- Install pinion, yoke/flange, and new pinion seal (often you fit the seal after initial preload but before final adjustments — check manual).
- If crush sleeve design: tighten pinion nut to manufacturer procedure to set preload (the sleeve crushes to yield specified preload). If shims: you will adjust shim thickness to reach the correct rotational preload and pinion depth.
- IMPORTANT: do not stake/tab the nut until gear pattern/backlash is final.

9) Set pinion preload and pinion depth:
- Pinion preload: after installing the crush sleeve/shims, tighten nut until the specified rotational torque to turn the pinion (measured with a torque wrench on yoke). This establishes bearing preload. If using crush sleeve, the nut torque setting and rotation torque target must match manual.
- Pinion depth & backlash: reinstall carrier (with ring gear) and carrier shims. Torque bearing caps to spec.
- Use a dial indicator to measure backlash between ring & pinion at several spots; adjust carrier shims left/right to reach spec backlash. Backlash is changed by adding/removing shims under carrier bearings — moving carrier toward pinion reduces backlash; away increases.
- Use gear marking compound on several teeth, run pinion through several rotations under light torque, then inspect contact pattern. The pattern must be toward the toe or face per spec — adjust pinion depth (by changing pinion shim or pinion shim thickness or repositioning carrier) until contact pattern is centered per service manual.

10) Iterate:
- Achieving correct preload, backlash, and correct gear pattern is iterative: adjust pinion depth, then re-check backlash and pinion preload. Repeat marking & inspection until pattern is correct and backlash is in spec.

11) Finalize:
- Once pattern and backlash are correct, set final preload (if nut was loosened during patterning) and secure pinion nut: stake/tab the nut to lock it or install new locking device per manual.
- Install and install new pinion seal if not installed earlier. Fit yoke, torque nut, and stake.
- Reinstall axle shafts, brakes, drums, wheels.
- Refill differential with correct oil amount and grade per MF35 manual.

12) Break-in and test:
- Run tractor at low speed under varying loads and listen for gear whine. Recheck for leaks, and after a short run, recheck torque on carrier caps and pinion nut (if manual requires). Recheck oil level and check for metal in oil after first hours of service; change oil if heavy metal found.

Measurements/specs — critical note
- Specific torque values, backlash numbers, and pinion preload settings vary by model and exact axle version. You MUST use the MF35 factory service manual for exact:
- Pinion bearing preload (rotational torque target).
- Crush sleeve torque procedure or shim thickness tables.
- Backlash specification (typical small tractors: a few thousandths of an inch — but confirm).
- Ring gear pattern target and method (face/toe orientation and amount).
- If you cannot get the manual, find a reputable reproduction or online forum with scanned factory specs. Do not guess torque/preload.

Common faults and what can go wrong (and how to spot/fix)
- Wrong pinion depth: will produce a narrow, edge-contact pattern, noisy whine, and rapid tooth wear. Fix by changing pinion shim/crush sleeve and re-checking pattern.
- Too much/too little preload: too tight causes bearing overheating and premature failure; too loose causes pinion movement and noise. Measure rotational torque and follow spec.
- Reused or mismatched races/bearings: poor fit, early failure. Always fit new bearing races when installing new bearings unless races are measured & verified undamaged.
- Damaged ring & pinion: pitting/chipping requires replacing the gear set; replacing bearings without replacing badly worn gears will fail quickly.
- Loose or mis-staked pinion nut: could back off and destroy gearset. Properly stake/tab or use prescribed locking device.
- Contaminated oil: metal particles accelerate wear. Clean housing thoroughly and replace oil/filter.
- Incorrect carrier shim placement: mixing up shim stacks between sides leads to incorrect backlash. Keep shims organized and note their order.

Troubleshooting tips
- If you get a noisy gear after assembly: recheck backlash and contact pattern first. Noise that changes with load indicates depth/pattern; noise that changes with speed indicates backlash or bearing problem.
- If you see metal flakes in oil on first fill: inspect bearings and gear faces; minor break-in is normal but heavy flakes mean trouble.
- If seal leaks: check yoke fit and seal installation; incorrect seal or rough yoke surface will leak.

Practical tips for beginners
- Obtain the factory MF35 service manual before starting.
- Keep parts organized and photograph step-by-step so you can reassemble correctly.
- Replace the crush sleeve every time (if your design uses one); it’s a one-time-use part.
- Replace the pinion seal whenever you disturb the pinion assembly.
- Use new bolts where recommended and always torque to spec.
- If the ring-and-pinion set is worn, buy a matched set. Don’t replace only one gear.
- If unsure about measuring pinion depth or interpreting pattern, consider having a skilled machinist or differential shop set the pattern — it’s a precision setup.
- Don’t work under an unsupported axle. Use rated jack stands and safety gear.

Final note (important)
This job requires measurement tools, methodical adjustment and patience. It’s doable for a competent home mechanic who follows the MF35 service manual, uses a dial indicator and gear compound, and replaces crush sleeve/bearings and seals. If you cannot obtain specs, lack tools, or don’t feel confident interpreting gear patterns, have a differential shop do the final setup.

No questions asked — follow the manual and safety practices.
rteeqp73

1963 Massey Ferguson 35. Refurbished and ready for Work! See all that was done to get her going!

Part 3. MF 35 Rebuild. Transmission. It's time for rebuilding the gearbox. #tractor #subscribe #masseyferguson #restoration #rebuild #transmission #gearbox.

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