Kim, I respectfully disagree. Under power they push apart, this is why you have a bigger bearing on the inside of the pinion. They pull together on deceleration. I have seen the pinion marks on sure grips before on units where the nut was loose and the pinion walks backward when you decelerate. Lay a gear on the bench, hold the pinion in mesh and turn it in the driving direction. I beleive you will find they push apart.
