Press the inner bearing cup
together with the shim into the casing. I used my hydraulic press and an appropriate diameter bearing installation "plug". I did the same with the outer bearing race.
I then fitted the inner bearing to the pinion shaft. For this I replicated the special tool that you are meant to make for your self =>
<= with a bit of pipe an open ended spanner, a stunt peg from #1 son's BMX and my hydraulic press!
I then fitted the toothed cog bit for the ABS sensor using the same collection of bits and bobs.
Note in the picture above how you've got two thin washers that fit between the crush washer. Note also that you need to push the outer taper roller bearing in position when the shaft is fitted to the casing!
To install the shaft I decided to yet again utilise BMX stunt pegs so that I could push the bearing into place with the hydraulic press rather than forcing the bearing and the thrust washer into position by tightening the nut on the shaft.
Boy am I glad I did it this way =>
I used one BMX stunt peg to support the pinion shaft. I then put this in the hydraulic press and mounted the other BMX stunt peg over the end of the pinion shaft so I could push the outer bearing with the press.
In this configuration the casing can be rotated because the bottom of the pinion shaft is supported by a BMX stunt peg spacer - the casing sits on the inner roller bearing fitted to shaft and case and the upper part of the shaft is clamped by the pressing force of the hydraulic press pushing down onto the upper BMX stunt peg spacer pushing onto the outer bearing that is an interference fit on the pinion shaft...
...bloody hell is that clear?
Anyway push the outer bearing onto the pinion shaft and you can see and feel the gap between the bearings gets smaller and smaller until you come up against that pesky crush washer.
I've worked with these crush washers before - Mercedes seems to like them - they are a bugger to "get started". The amount of force necessary to start their deformation is un-be-'ucking-lievable => a W123 rear wheel bearing installation nearly broke me when one of those crush washers refused to budge.
This one for the differential was not different. Gauge on the hydraulic press indicated
7 METRIC tons before it budged. I think the threads on the nut and the pinion shaft would have stripped before that would have gone.