over crushed the crush sleeve

[ramack]

Ok, so I think I've screwed this up, but need input/reality check to make sure that I'm not just being overly paranoid, or if this is a valid concern.

'79 K5 12-bolt GM rear end. I've replaced my rear driveshaft, beefed it up to a 1 ton shaft which means new rear pinion and transfer case yokes. Before taking off the rear pinion yoke, I marked the position of the nut to pinion shaft. It was on pretty good, so I had to take it off with an impact wrench. My screw up was momentarily hitting the nut in the wrong direction with the wrench (ie tightening and not loosening the blasted nut).

So, I have the new yoke now on the pinion shaft, and the scribe marks that I made prior to disassembly is off by one third revolution. I'm not sure what the thread pitch is, but I'm guessing that I've crushed the sleeve an additional 0.020-0.030 inch.

So, with all that said, do I need to buy a new crush sleeve and install the sleeve to set the pinion bearing preload?

Rich

 

[Fordum]

OK, as you may know, I'm a Ford guy, so I am not the one to go to for GM stuff. However, working with Ford 9 inchers, you ALWAYS replace the crush sleeve.

Theoretically, if you did not disturb anything, say if you just pulled the yoke, replaced the seal and went right back with the same parts, and counted the turns and stopped at exactly the same place, then it might be possible to reuse the sleeve.

But, in your case, not only did you probably over-crush the sleeve, but you put in a new yoke.
What do you suppose the odds are that the new yoke is exactly the same length as the old one down to a thousandth of an inch?

You could try it and see if it works, they tell me 12 bolts are cheap......

But I wouldn't.

J.

 

[tRustyK5]

I'm gonna concur, but I'd say go with the spacer instead of a crush sleeve. summit sells them for something in the area of $15.

Rene

 

[ramack]

Yeah, a couple things changed, the yoke and over crushing the sleeve. I'm assuming that I did over-crush the sleeve while briefly crankin' on the impact wrench the wrong bloody way.

Thanks for the input\confirmation\reality check.

Rich

 

[4X4HIGH]

New crush sleeve is in order. Don't forget that you MUST remove the carrier before you can check pinion bearing preload (with a new crush sleeve). This job also requires a dial type INCH/lb torque wrench.

 

[ramack]

Remove the carrier??? Crap. This is beginning to sound like it's not a good job to do in the driveway...

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Remove the carrier??? Crap. This is beginning to sound like it's not a good job to do in the driveway...

It can be done in a driveway without too much issue, make sure you mark which side each carrier cap is on and it's orientation.

And to answer your question yes, you definitely need to pull everything apart and replace the crush sleeve and properly set the pinion bearing preload. With the preload set as tight as you make it sound you could burn up the bearings in a few miles.

 

[ramack]

My factory service manual for my '77K5 doesn't go into detail how to do it, and my '83 manual rear diff section isn't set up the same for the 10bolt.

I've called a local shop, they can do the work for $150 labor plus parts. I think I may to farm this one out...

Rich

 

[DeviousK5]

I'm gonna concur, but I'd say go with the spacer instead of a crush sleeve. summit sells them for something in the area of $15.

Rene

X2, because you cant over crush solid metal spacer, and future pinion seals are a breeze once installed. Prolly a good idea to yank that carrier and replace the pinion bearings and races as well, not too expensive, and the preload range is more broad with new bearings. But yeah a small handfull of specialty tools required, the dial indicator and bearing pulers are the easy part. Getting a hold of an in-lb dial type torque wrench isnt always easy or cheap. But imagine how much you'll learn in the process.

 

[ramack]

The pinion and carrier brgs are worn and pitted, so getting new brgs put in. Picking it up from the shop this afternoon. Takin' it up into the mountains this weekend....

Rich