Cost to set up rearend

A Factory Service Manual has everything you need to know about how to do this procedure.

I bought a pinion depth gauge used, $60, telltale 0-90 inch pound torque wrench $100 (seen some sell on e-bay for $50) for pinion bearing preload, regular torque wrench, Dial indicator and base $25. I made my spanner wrench from scrap I had laying around

Basically the tools cost less than most people are charging to do the work.

On the bearing being pushed on and off, make a test bearing. Get an inner pinion bearing ($10-15) and hone it so it slides onto the pinion. You can then easily adjust/shim pinion depth without risking tearing up bearings pulling it off. Setting pinion depth is the biggest pain in the whole project.

It's not that tough to do. I don't like doing it with the rears under the cars, prefer them out and out a bench of jackstands. Easier on the body!