-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

Would there be any reason why a pinion would have 1/8th inch of play in/out and up/down if I drove the car for 80 miles through traffic after a shop installed the gears?

The break in process from what I understand is a way of seating and tempering the gears. In no way should it have effected bearings or run out, right?

Was thinking that the crush sleeve didn't get crushed.

alamantia

iTrader: (10)

If one of the pinion races wasnt installed all the way in or the pinion nut backed off

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

Pinion nut was still tight from what I could tell without removing the DS.

Should know more today as to what happened.

alamantia

iTrader: (10)

Were new bearings used? More than likely they were. If so, the old races were pounded out and new races were pounded in. If they didnt seat the new pinion races all the way in so that they bottom out within the counterbore in the rear end housing there would be a gap between the back of the race and the bottom of the counterbore. You could still install a crush coller and torque down the pinion nut and get sufficent preload with that gap there. Once you press the gas peddal down the latiral stress created by the meshing of the hypoid gears would want to push the pinion foreward, towards the front of the car, this closing up the gap, this would effect how the tapered bearings seat within the races in turn causing slop in the pinion

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

New bearings and shimms were used... or should have been anyway.

Here is what it looks like.

alamantia

iTrader: (10)

tell the installer that he may have not seated the pinion bearing races and that he owes you a new Z06, see what happens

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it a lot.

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

If the pinion nut is not loose, then I'm going to guess that they didn't "crush" the crush collar.

Regardless, I'd have the car towed back to whomever did the install, ASAP...not to mention to prevent anymore damage then already has been done. As of right now, it's highly unlikely the new gears, pinion bearings and their races are still good.

omcar

iTrader: (10)

I had to get rid of the crush collar and go with a solid pinion nut..

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

Solid pinion SPACER w/shims, you mean.

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

Something tells me I'm going to get fucked on this deal. They drove 80 miles to get the car and trailer it back yesterday at 1pm.
I have been trying to get information out of them but its like pulling teeth.
Something tells me the gears are shot now and they are going to toss them back in and blame the loudness on " after market" gears.

How in the hell do i fight that one?

I should be getting a call in 15 min on the status and when they will BRING the car back to me.

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

Did they supply all parts and labor?

You'll probably never get any info from them since they screwed up...What's shown in your video is clearly NOT any defective parts, but is the result of a mistake made by the installer.

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

just labor I supplied the Motive performance 3.42's, TA girdle, shim kit, bearing kit, gm additive and 2qts of amsoil.

They supplied the labor and half a bottle of amsoil.

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

Well, that's the gears most here prefer, but you may be screwed since they didn't supply them. Good Luck...

I'm curious to hear their diagnosis as to what was wrong and if they claim it wasn't their fault...

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

One of the mechanics told me the pinion bearing ate itself because I drove it 70 miles straight during the breakin in process. Said the preload and everything is so tight that there is a reason why they have people drive it 30 miles let it cool all the way off and go again 2-3 more times like that.

I'm calling BS on that, if there is THAT much load on the bearing it would wear out no matter what kind of break in I did. RIGHT?

It was suppose to be done today, it told them that multiple times. I won't be done until tomorrow after noon.

**** i'm so pissed i'm shaking.

1999Z28

lol. They're full of crap.

They installed it wrong. Plain and simple.

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

Exactly.

Roller bearings aren't what is "broken in" anyway, the gears are (if so desired)...Not to mention that the drive 30 miles, stop and let it cool bullcrap is just that...bullcrap. I rebuild industrial drive units for a living, and have done probably a hundred automotive gear swaps as well, and as long as they are setup correctly from day one...you'll never have a problem such as the original poster had. Period.

-Freak-

iTrader: (6)

Is there any way a bad pinion bearing could have caused this?
Any at all?

Looking for more professional opinions.

rel3rd

iTrader: (43)

If they just installed NEW pinion bearings, then they evidently overtightened the pinion nut, causing the bearing or bearings to overheat and come apart...that's assuming what they are saying is wrong with it, is accurate.

OR....there was not enough gear lube in the axle housing to sufficiently lubricate the bearing (or bearings).

If they put it together with a "bad bearing", (I'd guess a USED bearing too) then it's still a faulty install...I've NEVER seen a bad roller bearing that came new right out of the box...

If a roller bearing is preloaded correctly and has sufficient lubrication, it's designed to last for many thousands of miles, many heat cycles, and to handle many different loads.

If it's too tight, like it sounds like the mechanic may have described to cover his own ***, then it will overheat and fail...

ss1

iTrader: (32)

Look to me that either the pinion nut came loose, or the crush sleeve wasn't crushed enough. The pinion bearing "ate itself" because they fucked.....uhhh, overlooked something.