I always lube the bearings with gear oil.
Doug

Cool...........figured you set em up, take em apart for a final clean then reassemble so I`ll clean everything the first time then.......

I use WD on the bearing just so their not dry.

Oiled bearings. Doesn't mean pouring out all over the place. Just wet enough to not damage anything.

Just got swamped w/car work so on the back burner for now but will get back to it asap........thankxxx again......

I've been setting up rear gears for about 15 years now and I thought I would hone a pinion bearing for setup on my 489 chunk with a solid spacer, for the last one I did. I have always measured with my T and D pinion dept gauge and pull the bearing back off and changed shims. With my honed Timken bearing installed, and shims for 25 in lbs of pre-load, my pinion measured only -.001 of the recommended dept. I ran a pattern and it was perfect. I changed to the pressed on Timken bearing and it measured -.004 below the recommended distance and lost All of my preload.I figured it would be closer than that or at least on the + side. I adjusted the preload with shims and ran a pattern. It looked the same as before. Go figure.

I`ll check it several times and do my best to get a good pattern and Jason Pettis said he`d look it over for me if I had any doubts........ Also, been using Valvoline 75x90 synthetic gear lube after break in w/great results obviously so is it ok to break in new gears w/the same? Not polished..........

I have never setup an 8.75" rear. I used a 3.91 pumpkin in my old racer and then sold it and went to an OEM Dana 60 that I got for free!! I never went back and now that I finally got an OTC case spreader, I can build one properly. I suppose the next thing I need to buy is the tools for setting pinion depth, I already have the setup bearings for setting depth and backlash. I also have a home made tool for installing the carrier bearings and recently was given a press.

I just set one up today, with a lot of coaching from a pro. I measured off the cap surface to the head of the pinion, no problem. A little math, and it's perfect.. This only needs the figure on the pinion and a depth mic.

The cap surface is not the centerline of the bearing. I'm not the smartest apple in the bunch but have checked that before and it is not accurate. Not trying to be a smartass either so please take my opinion for what it is worth. I have set up a few hundred rear gear sets in my life time thou... If you get the pinion depth correct on a good set of gears it comes out perfect 99% of the time. Everyone does it a little different and whatever works for you is good. I have the tools due to doing it at work often. It is difficult to spend the money if only doing it a couple times in a life time.

Just got a sacrificial pinion nut today and will mess w/it after my workout then see how it looks pattern wise and go from there.........

for this Thumpman........how's that center section coming? Have had a chance to get it to the track yet .

Well it seams this thread is turning out to be similar to pinion angle debate.First and formost there have been quite a few excellent methods discussed and a lot of good information presented.I can only add rear end setups are very basic and the basic guidelines should be followed.If your only doing a setup once,find a knowledgable shop or person to assist.If your going to do a lot of setups study and follow the manufacture's recommendations,get the proper tooling and work with someone with experience for the first few setups.
We have been doing this for quite some time and have a lot of different tools and fab a lot of special tools and setup bearings.We find some rearend just easily go together with excellent results and some take a lot of time and effort to get them together.Having a set of setup bearings is the easiest and best for 8-3/4 and Danas.The most important being the rear pinion bearing since the side bearing are adjusted with the spanner wheels.A Dana needs both side bearings and pinion bearing to be able to install and remove easily unless your using a Strange S-series with the side adjusters.If you don't have these setup bearings you can lightly machine down the carrier and pinion surfaces from their interference fit to a light press fit to help installation add a quality sleeve/retainer locking sealant to the housing bearing surfaces and inside press area of the bearing on the final installation.
For further discussion we had a customer bring in a carrier that someone turned down the housing and the bearing would just slide on and pull off with your fingers.He wanted to buy a new carrier,we chucked in in the lathe and run a knuraling tool on both side and regained a light press fit,told him to add the retainer sealant and put it together.There is some great stuff from Permatex ,Locktite and others just for press and relax fit parts.

It`s not..............Jason Pettis went motorcycle riding w/a friend who crashed his bike so that took care of that but luckily he`s ok and havn`t heard from Jason as he has health issues to boot. I`ve messed w/it myself and don`t like the pattern, change pinion depth same thing, patters sucks so I know of a guy than can set me up but just lost interest already cos patience is NOT a virtue in my world.........Anyone wanna but a new nodular 8 3/4 and 35 spline axles? After takin a break and talkin w/Kenny(sgcuda),I think I`m real close on the drive side but the coast is still just a bit deep but probably ok so may just run it. I`ll see what Jason sez and go from there.........thankxx guys..........