Having trouble with my 14 bolt.

[Swampwalker3]

Figured I would start my newbness with a question.

Story is, I recieved my 14 bolt in peices. So after peicing everything back together I am having trouble putting the hubs onto the 14 bolt all the way.

I removed the races and bearings and found out that the first set of outer races I used were deeper than another set that came with the axle so I used the shallower races which kind of helped. I can screw the spindle nut on to where 2-3 threads are left showing on the nut. I made sure the outer race and bearings were pressed as far back as possible against the retaining ring to make sure it would seat correctly but no luck. Im having the issues with both hubs, so I'm pretty sure something is up.

I am thinking about just going down to the parts shop and picking up some outer races and see what happens. The bearings and inner races are new.

Im also wondering if 14 bolt bearings and races were the same? I do not have any idea what this axle came off of except that it is a 91 or newer axle. Part number on the pinion housing and the ridges on the housing helped me there.


I went in for the other bearings and races and asked for a 91 k20 parts, so Im hoping that not knowing what the axle came from is going to screw me over.

This is the only thing keeping me from driving my truck.
Here is a pic of the hub and axle for whatever reason.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Do you have the original bearings and races that you removed? IAf so take those to the parts store and have them look up the numbers on them and sell you the correct parts. If some of your parts are already new you can do the same by matching the part numbers and the bearings and races yourself (obviously you'll need to remove the races to check those along with the outer wheel bearing).

 

[Fry]

also if you have the old pinion on the end it will have a year stamped on there. Some of my original races and bearings didn't have numbers, which was weird.

 

[Swampwalker3]

Im kinda thinking that it may still be the inner bearings. Would these be the correct setys? Bearing-387AS; Race-382A

EDIT: This is a set so now Im suspecting the outers.

Edit 2: The outers are LM-104949 and LM-104911

So all is correct...

 

[Swampwalker3]

I was told that I may have hubs from a newer van which is a bit different than other SWR/van hubs, So I was thinking about the hub thing today, and decided to go out to the junk yard. I grabbed a set from a 90ish (two tone-brown and white stripe) 3500 SWR single cab pick up. Just to clarify that I was not using Van hubs. I also had a thought about maybe using the wrong bearings or maybe not being seated correctly. So, these hubs came complete right off the truck. Bearings and all.

Came home.. They don't fit either..

I would have thought 14 bolt hubs would have been one of the easiest part of an axle swap..

 

[Swampwalker3]

Well, the spindles are shorter on my shaved axle than on other 14 bolts.. Who knew..

I did get a new 14 bolt housing for free, though.

The only problem is that it's an older housing. My problem with this is, will I be able to just swapped everything from my newer 91+ axle into this one? I know the bearing that's inside the Diff that supports the pinion is different so I will have to figure the part number on that, but can I just use the pinion housing and bolt it up to the older axle housing instead of setting up the pinion again?

The Hubs fit, both sets, so now I'm set on that. Just have to cut everything off on both housings and reweld.

 

[4X4HIGH]

The pinion support will swap from the later to the earlier housing.

 

[Swampwalker3]

Anyone opposed to me cutting down the spindle nut, square key type, to 1/8-3/16"?

Only thing I can see that may work.

 

[Mudstud]

"but can I just use the pinion housing and bolt it up to the older axle housing instead of setting up the pinion again?"

Yes they will bolt right on but you WILL HAVE TO RESET THE GEARS. I have done this with Boz42. One pinion housing was too thick to set the depth correctly so we had to use a different pinion housing and shim.