Classic/Antique Car Repair: rear end cadillac, google search, auto literature

Question
I am looking for the torque spec for a rear pinion.... it is the bolt that mounts on the front of the pumpkin and attatches the knuckle from the drive shaft to the rear end. THe aplication is a 1960 cadillac.

Answer
This is the torque that sets the position of the pinion into the ring gear, it is very critical that the bolt be tightened to the right spec as it is used to crush the sleeve that is behind it - it is the crushing of that sleeve that sets the ring/pinion engagement. Failure to do this precisely leads to early failures and noise from the rear end.  Also, you must use a new "crushable sleeve".

  I am sorry that I do not have the shop manual for your car, so I cannot look up the torque.   Generally, this is 220 ft lbs (yes, I know that is a lot of torque), but I think you should beg, borrow or steal a shop manual and look it up to make sure.

If you care about this car, I advise you to buy a shop manual for it - there will be many more such critical numbers you will need, and no one has all the manuals for all the cars.

Contact Ed Faxon, in Riverside California (do a Google search) or some other auto literature dealer - these manuals are not hard to find.  They also show up in eBay frequently. Sorry I don't have one.

Good luck,

Dick.