Well done, Nice work on setting the pinion depth on the first try. For those doing this the first time, 2 setup pinion bearings are a must of the same type of final bearings used for setting pinion depth...saves alot of headaches.
I'm currently doing this for the first time, and was thinking about the pinion depth measurement. I figured if you have the tools, you could bolt a piece of MIC-6 across the caps, using that as a straight edge, depth mic down to a gage pin at bottom of carrier bearing bore, depth mic down to pinion face, subtract, then mic the carrier race dia and add half to the measurement. If I had the foresight to order some tooling plate ahead of time I woulda tried it 😆
Great to young guys doing stuff! In my mind I am still young. I am sure the pinion depth tool covered that all housing caps are not split on the axle centerline. I spread the case the amount of my desired new bearing preload, usually .015, and just have to set up backlash. Release the spreader and done. Best $100ish dollars I ever spent, that and the clamshell bearing remover. A powerful driveline will continue crushing a crush collar, then boom! Love the videos!
Great info. I’m going to look into getting a spreader. Also never thought much about a crush sleeve continuing to crush but that makes perfect sense. I’ll use the solid sleeve with shims on the big power stuff!! Thanks Shawn
I use a steering wheel puller to get the yoke out ,take the caps off the joint locks,and run two bolts thru the holes if the go all the way thru.If not use bolts that are the same thread as the caps.Use the side by side slots on the puller.
Awesome informative video man. I do have a question, can you take the outer pinion bearing out with the pinion still in? MIne is bad and just need to change the outer one, and didn't want to have to pull the entire rear end out if I didn't have to.
That would be a feat. I’m sure it not impossible, but I can’t think of a good way to do it. Somehow welding something to the race and slide hammering it out I suppose. But it would be easy to just disassemble it all and put it back together how you found it.. just torque the pinion nut to like 150ftlbs after. You won’t have to mess with any of the shims or lash.
Good video! I have one question and thinking out loud here. Is it possible to get close to the pinion depth and spacer needed by measuring the old pinion head with the original spacer and lets say it's 3.250" in over all length (the head with spacer). Now measure the head of the new pinion and it alone is say 3.100". This would mean you would need a .150" shim to get the original 3.250" distance. My logic here. The new pinion bearings and races have to go back exactly in their original locations. The new pinion and carrier all have to be machined to a very tight tolerances or it would not fit the housing. So the only thing that is changing is the thickness of the head of the new pinion. Get that close to the one that came out and I think you have the thickness needed for the new shim. What do you think?
Are you just trying to avoid making a slip fit pinion bearing? Is the desired depth stamped/etched on the pinion gear? There is a math equation to get desired depth if you don’t have it etched on there from the manufacturer. Worse case, buy two inner pinion bearings and press one on, take a measurement too see what you need for shims. Even if you have to cut the new bearing off, at least you know your in the ballpark. I don’t think guessing the shim from one pinion to another will work when it comes down to thousandths of an inch what is acceptable or not.
Nice. Have you ever experienced a rear end click quietly enough where ya can't hear it unless windows are down and driving next to a wall or barrier? It only clicks when fuel is applied, not while coasting. Thanks!
What procedure, did you use to get the correct backlash pre-load of 14"-19" in. lb. when you were setting the pinion depth? (crush on sleeve) You mentioned it was tricky, and not to go to much or you would have to get another crush sleeve to start over. Did you use a ratchet, and socket on pinion nut a bit at a time? or?... This would be a helpful, perhaps critical, step you did not demonstrate. Other than that, your tutorial was easy to follow along. Thanks.
Where did you come up with 3 thousands on each side for pre load on the carrier? Is that a set number or does it depend on what shims you already have in each side ?
Something with .003” clearance is generally considered “slip fit”. I basically set up the backlash with the carrier being “slip fit” and then I add a couple or few thousands to each side so backlash is maintained but now I have to tap the carrier in and it achieves some bearing preload. Does that make sense?
Yes. I would check backlash prior to tear down and make sure it’s similar after. Unless the bearings are that trashed but if they are then you probably need a gearset too..
I have a gm 10 bolt. I removed the diff cover and removed the 8 millimeter bolt now to remove the spider gear pin and I'm having trouble, it won't budge won't come out nothing.. Any help would be appreciated.
On the pinion bearing races? Being press fit and then also preloaded by the pinion nut I don’t see the need. Maybe in some applications it’s necessary?
Check out this page from Summit Racing www.summitracing.com/parts/pro-66516?seid=srese1&ppckw=pmax-tools&gad_source=1&gclid=eaiaiqobchmiific9_sahamvr2fhar0oaam8eaqyaiabegl3tpd_bwe
Ok here is where I am confused. I have done every rear end in my Chevy trucks suburban and Tahoe 10 and 14 corporate rear end. All lockers or the g80's. I know that Eaton makes them for gm and are not interchangeable with conventional gm differential. The pin is .010 larger spider gears have 10 teeth instead of 11 and yada yada but here's my point did Eaton sell the rights to gm because I pulled my drum brake g80 out to put the 8.6 disc in and it is a g80 also but has NOTHING in common with the 8.5 except the ring and pinion. Everything in the 8.5 is bigger parts wise and the 8.6 is just like a conventional diff not like the Eaton 8.5 that I have always dealt with. I thought someone tried to rebuild it with conventional parts til I tried the pin from the drum brake and it's to big but it's got the access holes for the tumbler and mechanism so it is a gm doings but I don't get it. Gm start making them out of their conventional diffs?
Wow I forgot about this but I think I found out. Apparently there is a military version that is not interchangeable. It is beefier and as I found they are right it is not interchangeable and they don't have access holes to drive those things out so I took a blunt punch and just put it on the edge of those retainers knowing I was going to break them and didn't and it hit them hard. Did bend a little and ground the cap off and drove them back in. Anyway some have gotten into the trucks. Mostly 4x4s I believe.
