14bolt pinion bearing... helppp

[stockk5]

Hey guys.. i recently got a 14bolt.. the pinion bearing was bad though so i took it apart.. bought some new bearings from napa and a GM crush sleavee i sat w/ my laptop next to the press and was on pirate4x4.com reading the 14bolt gear install.. following it step by step.. using a 60ton press.. and a 1000 ft/lb impact wrench... I cannot for the life of me get the crush sleave to crush.. It seems as if the top bearing right under the seal wont go down the last tiny bit w/ the pinion nut tight as hell. The only thing i can think of is the bearing is the wrong size.. yet again i dotn know if that can be right because the bearing does press on the pinion a ton.. just not enough to crush the sleave... any ideas? Or.. whats the average price a shop would charge to do this? Also.. how bad is this to use.. i dont have another option cuz im poor after buying this... so just curious what will happen.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I would bet the pinion will last at least a little while, even as damaged as it looks. As for the crush sleeve, did you put the crush sleeve (by itself) into the press and start to crush it ever so slightly? Once it starts to crush is will go much easier. It seems some brands of crush sleeve are much harder to crush than others.

 

[jakes4321]

If the surface on that pinion is pitted like it looks it is shot....then again I could be wrong since I cant see it in person. My guess is it is not lettin the pin sit all the way down in pinion support. some crush sleeves are a pita to get to crush.
Look at you old bearing compare to your new one, does it have the same part numbers?, are they the same size?
Where are you located? I might know someone in your area that could help you.

 

[stockk5]

thanks guys.. yeah i didnt crush the sleave outside the pinion.. and i checked the size of the bearing.. with a micrometer.. shoudl be the exact same size. and asked napa for the right one... but who knows ill try crushing the new one tmrow maybe. thanks for the tips.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Put the crush sleeve in a press and CAREFULLY get it to start to crush. Like was already said once it starts to crush it will crush FAST. I recently did one for Dremu and it took almost 15 tons before it started to crush.

 

[stockk5]

i would think heating it up would obviously help too... good bad idea?

 

[stockk5]

oh yeah.. cuz when i was pressing trying to crush it..i kept bending the pipes i was using.. they werent exactly thin either..

 

[4X4HIGH]

Do not heat it. Also the end of that pinion won't hurt a thing. That is only the pinion pilot bearing surface, most diffs don't even have that.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Do not heat it. Also the end of that pinion won't hurt a thing. That is only the pinion pilot bearing surface, most diffs don't even have that.

Not all diffs have the same pinion bearing seperation either. That third pinion bearing undoubtedly undergoes some force under heavy load.

Of course, the FF 14 bolt ring and pinion is one of the strongest light duty truck differentials out there.