Pinion seal dilemma - Help Needed!!

[92GMCK2500]

14 bolt, SF, 6 lug axle.

I'm half way through replacing my pinion seal. I marked everything with white paint (rookie mistake).

Checks and Marks:
- Marked driveshaft - U joint - companion flange.

- Marked companion flange - pinion nut - pinion shaft.

- I counted the pinion shaft threads at the underside of the shaft = 3 threads.

- I measured the rotational force to turn the pinion shaft prior to disassembly = 29 inch pounds. (With axle assembled).

Here's my problem:
The mark on the pinion shaft end has been accidentally erased! F#@!!

I mentally retraced my steps when i removed the companion flange and are only 80% confident that i have it back on there in the exact same position.

The disassembly was done with E-brake cranked on btw. It moved some but not more than a quarter turn counter clockwise.

Questions:
1. If i proceed on my 80% confidence vote - what are the ramifications if i f#@!ed up?

2. Are there other methods to getting the companion flange on there correctly?

3. Any other suggestions?

Thanks fellas.

(I am so pissed at myself for screwing up, any tips are appreciated!!)

 

[93crewcab]

Check you pinion preload again. If its alittle higher then 29 you should be fine. Maybe around 35

 

[92GMCK2500]

Check you pinion preload again. If its alittle higher then 29 you should be fine. Maybe around 35

Thanks.

Does it matter which pinion shaft spline tooth the companion flange slides onto? I guessimate that i am 1 or 2 teeth off in each direction at worse.

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

Doesnt matter where the new yoke goes. It if did matter, there'd be a master spline.

 

[92GMCK2500]

Doesnt matter where the new yoke goes. It if did matter, there'd be a master spline.

Thanks.
Same goes if I am re-using the existing yoke?

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

Yup, anywhere in 360° is fine. There's no balance or u-joint phasing issue, unlike the driveshaft.

 

[92GMCK2500]

Cheers!
Ill report back after i get this sucker buttoned up.

 

[92GMCK2500]

Well, job done. I'll see how it goes after a test drive.

I was having a bit of trouble seating the pinion seal square. Used a block of wood and hammered around the seal as evenly as possible. It looked good visually but there was a slight rubbing when rotating the yoke/flange by hand.

This made it difficult to recheck my pinion nut preload torque. I was within 5-6 inch pounds of my original reading as far as i could tell. I was able to align my pinion nut mark with my yoke mark and matched this with the 3 threads that i counted. Figuring that in combination, i should be close.