loose Pinion nut 87 2wd 1/2 ton

[NCali]

The Pinion Nut on my 1/2 ton has started to loosen up. I have tried to tighten that nut as tight as I can 1st with a breaker bar and a pipe, and today with  a 1/2 " electric impact and some red lock tight . As I tightened the nut I rotated the tire so that the pinion was out as far as it could go, and when I tightened the nut  the yoke felt smooth when I turned it.
so I guess my question would be , what is the proper torque for that nut and should I install a new crush sleeve.
Truck is driven 60 miles a day  in heavy traffic so it has got to be reliablle

[Captkaos]

The crush sleeve is for compressing to the point where the clearance/drag is correct.  Tightening the nut more than it is currently I wouldn't go over 1/4 turn, 1/2 tops.  You start changing the wear pattern in the gearset by just tightening it til it is tight.  There isn't a torque spec for this you set it pinion preload which is measured in inch/lbs between 20-25 new, 10-15 used.
There is more to it than this, but if the nut is loose, I would have counted the threads protruding, put some locktight on it and put it back on, not going over 1/2 a turn past.

[bake74]

The crush sleeve is for compressing to the point where the clearance/drag is correct.  Tightening the nut more than it is currently I wouldn't go over 1/4 turn, 1/2 tops.  You start changing the wear pattern in the gearset by just tightening it til it is tight.  There isn't a torque spec for this you set it pinion preload which is measured in inch/lbs between 20-25 new, 10-15 used.
There is more to it than this, but if the nut is loose, I would have counted the threads protruding, put some locktight on it and put it back on, not going over 1/2 a turn past.

     This is proper, if it came loose and you just tightened, I would pop the cover, get a new nut and crush washer and reset the torque and check the mesh of the gears to make sure they are not going to grenade on you.