[dsraven]

for installing the new pinion shaft bearings I usually run some emery cloth over the shaft to clean it up shiny, then put that shaft in the freezer to get it nice and cold-and small. then the bearing gets heated up slightly, sometimes in a frying pan of oil to a couple hundred degrees, then I get all ready to assemble with the shim pack, a brass punch, hammer, a tube that fits over the pinion shaft that I can use to drive the bearing with, a block of wood for the pinion shaft to sit on when driving the new bearing on, the bearing should be readily handy, then I grab the pinion out of the freezer and drop the shim pack and the hot oily bearing onto the pinion. sometimes it falls right onto the spot it needs to be and I just have to give it a tap to make sure it's all the way home. sometimes it needs a bit of help-depending on how much time it takes to get things set up. things warm up and cool off quickly but if you manage to get right on it quickly this method works well-if you don't have a press.
when done it goes without saying that the parts should be re-cleaned and oiled/greased before assembly and checking the tooth contact. I usually assemble with the old crush sleeve to check contact pattern and this is where you will appreciate the pinion shaft being all shiny and smooth, the new small end bearing usually needs to go on and off a few times so if it is tight on the shaft it can be bothersome, then if it is right I assemble with the new parts and seal.check the seal surface on the yoke as well, in case it needs a speedi sleeve or a new yoke. its hard to hold the pinion and crank up the yoke nut when doing the crush sleeve so I made a bar that bolts onto the yoke and can bear down on the bench, floor, whatever- I try to do this part in the vehicle because then the axle becomes your holder-some guys use a big pipe wrench on the yoke to hold it and I have done that as well. just make sure to use a good sized sturdy pipe wrench. I have axle dirt embedded in my cheek below the eye from a pipe wrench that broke when doing this under a 1 ton. it caused me to go face to face with the axle housing. now I have that bar and a 3/4" drive socket set and snipe tool. be careful and check as you go when doing the crush sleeve as there is no making that longer once it has been crushed to much and becomes too tight. too tight means it comes apart to install a new crush sleeve and a new seal because the seal needs to come out to get the crush sleeve out. too tight will make a lot of heat on the bearings and can make all that work for nothing if it causes a failure. I always overfill the axle with oil, tip the vehicle one way and the other slightly to ensure oil has made it down the axle tubes, then come back later and drain out the excess. a buddy didn't take the time to let the oil settle out and it cost him an axle due to a dry axle bearing. they don't go far without oil. that is why I always grease the axle bearings before installing the axle.
just some pointers. have you ever done an axle rebuild before? got tools for this sport of thing?