Alignment tools and methods for aligning components therewith

An alignment tool for use in assembling a planetary gear set, comprising:

• a body having a first end, a second end distal to the first end, and interior surfaces that define a cavity within the body between the first end and the second end;
• a handle;
• an elongated pin having a tip configured to be inserted through a mounting hole of a housing of the planetary gear set, through a first hole in a first washer, through a bore of a pinion gear, between pinion needle rollers arranged in a tubular pattern within the bore of the pinion gear, and then through a second hole of a second washer, wherein the elongated pin is configured to align the first washer, the pinion gear, the pinion needle rollers, and the second washer during insertion of the elongated pin through the first hole, the bore between the pinion needle rollers, and the second hole, wherein the elongated pin is retractable relative to the handle in response to a force being applied to the tip in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the elongated pin;
• a biasing member located within the cavity of the body and configured to apply a biasing force on the elongated pin in a second direction from the second end of the body toward the first end of the body along the longitudinal axis of the elongated pin, wherein the tip extends outwardly from the first end of the body, wherein at least a portion of the elongated pin is configured to retract into the cavity of the body in response to the force being applied to the tip thereof that is greater than the biasing force, and;
• a sliding member located and retained within the cavity of the body and configured to slide within the cavity between the first end and the second end, wherein the elongated pin includes a proximal end oppositely disposed the tip thereof, wherein the proximal end of the elongated pin is in a fixed relationship with the sliding member such that the elongated pin is at least partially retracted within the cavity as the sliding member slides toward the second end of the body and the elongated pin is extended from the cavity as the sliding member slides toward the first end of the body,
• wherein at least a portion of the body is transparent such that the sliding member is viewable from an exterior of the body.